Reduction in blindness rates since the introduction of digital photographic screening in an English diabetic eye screening programme
by Angela Dale
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Background
A retrospective analysis of audit data to determine the effects of the Gloucestershire Diabetic Eye Screening Programme combined with other factors in reducing blindness in the population.
Method
Causes of blindness have been recorded since August 2005 in the county of Gloucestershire that introduced systematic retinal screening for people with diabetes in 1998.
Results
In the 3 years 1st Aug 2005 ‐ 31st July 08, the annual incidence of Seriously Sight Impaired (SSI) or blindness in Gloucestershire was reduced to 5.33 per annum or 0.025% of the population with diabetes and Sight Impaired (SI) or partial sight 8.7 per annum or 0.041% of the population with diabetes.
Over the following decade there was a progressive reduction in registrations until the last 3 years when, between 1st April 2014‐ 31st March 2017, the annual incidence of Seriously Sight impaired SSI or blindness was reduced to only 0.67 per annum or 0.002% of the population with diabetes and sight impaired or partial sight 3.3 per annum or 0.010% of the population with diabetes.
Conclusion
There has been a progressive reduction in registrations of both SSI and SI in Gloucestershire since 2005. This which is likely to be due to a combination of the systematic diabetic retinopathy screening programme, better control of the diabetes and more effective treatments for diabetic retinopathy.