title: [Diabetic retinopathy screening and teleophthalmology].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and evaluate our experience in DR screening in a study carried out between the Ophthalmology Department of the University General Hospital of Alicante and Department 19 Primary Care of Alicante by using a non-retinal mydriatic camera and telemedicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 2,435 diabetic patients from 1 February 2006 to 1 February 2009. Three 45° retinographies of both eyes of each patient were obtained and sent to the Department of Ophthalmology via the hospital intranet. These were then evaluated by 2 ophthalmologists, experts in the retina, with each issuing an individualized report for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of DR was 17.90%, with 80.73% of them having mild-moderate proliferative DR, 12.16% severe non-proliferative DR, 2.29% proliferative DR, and 4.82% with diabetic maculopathy associated with any level of retinopathy. The retinographies were considered low quality in 41 patients (1.69%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We highlight the benefits of the tele-ophthalmology in screening diabetic patients to enable early diagnosis and treatment, and improving the circuit of communication between primary and specialist care.
authors.affiliation: Servicio Oftalmología, Hospital General Universitario Alicante, Alicante, España. martinez_magrub@gva.es
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez Rubio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moya Moya
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bellot Bernabé
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belmonte Martínez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000458:organization & administration; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D018630:Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014850:Waiting Lists; D016526:Workload