Ophdiat(®): five-year experience of a telemedical screening programme for diabetic retinopathy in Paris and the surrounding area.

AIM: This report describes our 5 years of experience with the ophthalmological diabetes telemedical network Ophdiat(®), designed to screen for diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS

Seventeen hospitals, 11 primary healthcare centres and two prisons in the Paris area were gradually equipped with a non-mydriatic funduscopic camera between June 2004 and December 2009. Photos were taken by trained orthoptists and nurses, and interpreted by an average of seven certified ophthalmologists. The software was updated twice in 2008.

RESULTS

In all, 38,596 patients were screened during 51,741 examinations between June 2004 and December 2009. Of these patients, 13,726 (26.55%) were referred to an ophthalmologist because of unreadable photographs (9.94%), advanced stages of retinopathy (14.71%) or concomitant eye diseases (1.90%). Patients screened in hospitals and prisons exhibited a greater prevalence of retinopathy and at more advanced stages.

CONCLUSION

Telemedicine is a screening method that is well adapted for diabetic patients. In view of the increasing number of such patients and the decreasing number of ophthalmologists, expansion of the Ophdiat(®) screening network is desirable.