Screening for diabetic retinopathy using the mobile retinal camera: the Waikato experience.
OBJECTIVE
To report the results of the Waikato Regional Mobile Diabetic Retinopathy Photoscreening Programme.


METHODS
We audited the results of a diabetic retinal photoscreening programme using the mobile retinal camera in the Waikato region for the period August 1993 to December 2001.


RESULTS
A total of 8172 patients were screened one or more times, with a total of 15 555 photoscreens, representing approximately 79% of the expected number of patients with diabetes for the region. Seventy eight per cent showed no diabetic retinopathy (NDR), 9.3% had evidence of non-vision-threatening retinopathy (NVR), and 3.1% had evidence of vision-threatening retinopathy (VTR). A further 2281 (14.7%) led to a referral to an eye clinic for specialist review. The percentage of all screening episodes resulting in VTR fell from 11.5% in 1993 to 1.5% in 2002. The overall failure-to-attend rate for photoscreening was high (18.7%), especially in the Maori population (32.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Mobile retinal photoscreening is practical in a large rural area, and its implementation has been associated with a reduction in presentations with vision-threatening retinopathy within the total community. The rate of subsequent development of VTR in the group with normal eyes on initial photoscreening was low and supports a two-yearly repeat photoscreening schedule for this group. Despite significant efforts to improve physical access to photoscreening, the failure-to-attend rates in all ethnic groups other than Europeans are disappointingly high.
Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Elham
E
Reda
Peter
P
Dunn
Clive
C
Straker
David
D
Worsley
Keith
K
Gross
Isla
I
Trapski
Susan
S
Whitcombe
D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008952:Mobile Health Units; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010781:Photography; D015995:Prevalence