DUBLIN, IRELAND, November 28, 2008
/24-7PressRelease/ -- The first stage of a national screening programme to detect retinopathy, a serious eye condition caused by diabetes, was approved in 2007 for patients in the HSE West region but the programme has been scrapped for two years running because of budget deficits.
The Leeson Eye Institute will initially provide a mobile Telescreening service to GP's in the north-east region. This new intelligent software application allows GP's at remote locations to diagnose patients and direct referrals for treatment.
The Ardbryan Eye Clinic in Drogheda will be the first clinic to use the software. Dr Joe Murphy GP will work with Mr John Fenton FRCSI Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon with the Leeson Eye Institute. Mr Fenton trained in retinal and diabetic surgery in New Orleans with Professor G. Peyman, an internationally recognised expert on diabetic laser eye surgery.
Diabetic retinopathy accounts for 12% of all new cases of blindness each year and is the leading cause of blindness in patients between 20 and 65 years of age. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy increases with the age of the patient and the duration of diabetes. After 20 years of diabetes 99% of Insulin -dependent Diabetics and 60% of non-insulin dependent diabetics show some degree of retinopathy.
Having diabetes does not mean that a person will have eye problems, but it is important that regular eye examinations are carried out to ensure that any potential problems are diagnosed early. Sight loss from diabetes can usually be prevented if retinopathy is diagnosed and treated early. [ENDS]
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