We take time to change the oil in our car every couple of months, we get our teeth cleaned twice a year, and some of us are even health-conscious enough to schedule a regular physical with their doctor. But what about our eyes? Other than going in for a new prescription or to get more contacts, many of us overlook the simple, preventative actions we can do to take care of our eyes. And, an annual eye exam is especially critical for people with diabetes who should make it a point to mark their calendars for their yearly eye check-up.
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Healthcare providers have the ability to provide resources that make eyecare more readily accessible and easy to integrate into a patient&#;s annual health routine. In fact, diabetic teleretinal imaging that seamlessly integrates into any EMR software is creating widespread change in eye health. With benefits for patients, technicians, and practices alike, retinal imaging helps efficiently diagnose eye conditions and disorders common among people with diabetes. Teleretinal imaging capabilities increase access to adequate eye care, in turn helping identify and prevent eye disease. Not to mention, this kind of solution helps improve quality and lower costs, making eye care easier than ever.
So, what is retinal imaging?
Retinal imaging is the practice of taking pictures of the inside of a patient&#;s eye, specifically targeting the back region, also known as the retina. A variety of solutions are available to ensure ease in taking quality images of the retina and receiving an accurate diagnosis for a patient.
For example, with the help of IRIS solutions, providers can confidently diagnose macular edema and Diabetic Retinopathy. Still, if other issues become suspected, IRIS Reading Center (IRC) physicians can make a note to help guide a patient towards seeking an appropriate specialist. IRIS offers a unique solution that includes high-resolution digital imaging and IRIS&#;s proprietary image enhancement technology that helps optimize the quality of that image. And with IRIS&#; historic readability rates around 95%, the chance of success is very high. From there, a licensed eye care provider or an IRC physician can then evaluate the health of retinas.
Traditionally, these eye exams have been performed by an ophthalmologist using specialized equipment. Teleretinal imaging offers an alternative method for conducting diabetic retinal exams, opening the door to abundant opportunities for doctors and patients to ensure diabetic eye care is both easy and accessible.
Here are four benefits that demonstrate the wide-reaching effects of retinal imaging, how patients can take advantage of each, and how healthcare providers can improve access for all.
With retinal imaging, the image produced by a fundus camera and uploaded to a teleretinal platform enables eye care providers to evaluate patients for potential eye disorders and other health conditions. Diabetic retinal exams, in particular, are a critical component in identifying diabetic retinopathy&#;the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults in the United States.
Teleretinal imaging solutions make it possible for providers to detect and diagnose diabetic retinopathy early in the disease progression, which is crucial in ending preventable blindness. Some of the other conditions providers can detect when viewing a retinal image include glaucoma, wet AMD, or dry AMD.
One of the great aspects of retinal imaging tests is that they&#;re quick, easy, and painless, with results being generated at a fast pace. As the diagnosis from each test is delivered, the images are securely stored. This allows primary care physicians to gather results and images to compare over time to ensure eye health is not deteriorating and/or measure treatment success.
Teleretinal imaging improves healthcare data collection for patients in a way that is easy for providers to obtain and store in a patient&#;s electronic health record (EHR). By integrating retinal imaging into yearly exams, patients develop a record of their eye health year over year, making it possible for providers to monitor overall eye health over time seamlessly.
Teleretinal imaging comes at no extra effort for patients. Most imaging is completed in less than 15 minutes from start to finish, and diagnostic reports are often delivered within a single business day. Rather than having patients set aside an entire day or afternoon to get their eyes examined, this regular check-up can be done quickly during a patient&#;s routine annual check-up with minimal additional time constraints. Furthermore, typically no dilation is required, which is an additional benefit to the patient.
Plus, because the results are received so quickly, IRIS can deliver the images and the diagnoses directly into a healthcare provider&#;s EHR, allowing for easy patient referral to the appropriate specialist. Instead of waiting an unnecessarily long time for the results and create an action plan for appropriate next steps should they be needed, patients can rapidly receive their results and relevant referrals.
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Teleretinal imaging technology can vastly improve eye care accessibility for patients while simultaneously reducing the cost of care. Many patients overlook the need for annual diabetic retinal exams, but with the ease and technology achieved by teleretinal imaging, these images for evaluation can now be captured in various healthcare facilities, including primary care centers, hospitals, community clinics, and more.
A residual impact of these teleretinal imaging solutions is that they allow eye doctors to practice at the top of their licenses and focus on treating active diseases rather than on routine eye exams. Additionally, It also can improve eye health in underserved areas by expanding eye examination offerings into centers or clinics that would otherwise not offer eye care.
Why this matters
Retinal imaging can alert both patients and providers to health issues like Age-related Macular Degeneration, Cancer, Diabetic Retinopathy, Glaucoma, Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), Retinal Detachment, and more.
IRIS solutions can help eye care professionals diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy and macular edema, but IRC providers also have the capability to alert providers of other suspected issues or abnormalities in the images. All people with diabetes, regardless of age, race, or gender, must begin taking active steps in caring for their eyes, integrating proactive measures as a part of their annual care plan &#; and IRIS can help make that easy.
IRIS offers a teleretinal imaging solution that makes it simple for any organization to add the exam into their pre-existing workflow. This leads to better patient care without any subsequent stress or learning curve for companies and their employees. Have questions about implementation? Want to know more about our proprietary technology? Need to schedule a demo? Contact us today.
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The next time you go for your annual eye checkup, chances are your eye doctor will recommend retinal imaging. This is an additional eye exam that many ophthalmologists are now carrying out. This helps improve the detailed eye exam.
Adding retinal imaging to your eye test may be necessary if you have some conditions. These conditions include diabetes, glaucoma, or age-related macular degeneration. But even if you do not have these eye conditions, retinal imaging can detect severe eye illnesses early and help you protect your vision.
Retinal imaging or a retinal photograph is a surgery-free and totally safe technique of taking pictures of the back of your eye or retina. The technique allows your eye doctor to have a closer look at your retina, blood vessels, and optic nerve.
There are a few different types of retinal imaging that your eye doctor can use to examine your eye. They include optical coherence tomography (OCT), angiography, and fundus photography. Each of these methods has precise benefits to detecting certain problems in your eye. Your eye doctor will determine the best technique for your specific condition.
Retinal imaging uses low-power lasers to take digital pictures of your retina. The light produced by the lasers goes onto your eye through the pupil. As the light passes through to the retina, it leaves images that are collected by a machine, creating a detailed picture of the retina.
Your eye doctor then looks at these pictures to check what information your retina is revealing about the health of your eye, body, and brain.
Clearer images of the retina make it easier for your ophthalmologist to teach you about your eye health and wellness. You can look at the retinal pictures together and your doctor can identify the different parts of the retina. Then he or she will explain the eye conditions that the pictures reveal and suggest suitable treatment options.
Retinal imaging can reveal the following eye conditions.
Diabetic retinopathy &#; Diabetes can hurt the blood vessels in your retina and cause vision loss if not treated.
Glaucoma &#; This condition causes a buildup of fluid that can damage your optic nerve and cause irreversible vision loss.
Age-macular degeneration &#; This illness that comes with age can cause blood or fluid to leak into your retina and make your vision blurry.
Cancer &#; A dark spot in your retina may indicate a melanoma. Melanoma can grow inside your retina without being detected. If detected early, the melanoma can be treated before it causes severe damage and spread to other parts of the body.
Retinal detachment &#; Retinas can withdraw from the wall of your eye and cause permanent loss of vision if not treated properly.
High blood pressure &#; Symptoms of high blood pressure usually appear first in the retina. Signs can include thinning of the retinal blood vessels, spots, or bleeding in the retina.
For more on how retinal imaging works and why it is important, visit Brandon Eyes at our offices in Middleton or Madison, Wisconsin. You can call (608) 833- or :(608) 833- today to book an appointment.
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