In a study comparing imaging techniques used in an ocular telehealth program, Paolo Silva, MD, Lloyd Paul Aiello, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the Joslin Diabetes Center’s Beetham Eye Institute found that standard field nonmydriatic fundus photography and nonmydriatic ultrawide field imaging similarly identified nondiabetic retinal findings in eyes of patients with diabetes. As its name implies, ultrawide field imaging is a technique that captures images from a greater area of the retina than the traditional nonmydriatic retinal imaging. Gaining popularity in tele-ophthalmology programs, ultrawide field imaging also may allow the identification of important peripheral retinal abnormalities that are not readily imaged on standard field photography.
"In this study, even in eyes without retinopathy, nondiabetic retinal findings were present in approximately 27% of the eyes imaged. This emphasizes the need for retinal evaluation in all people with diabetes regardless of the presence or severity of retinopathy," said Dr. Silva.
This paper was highlighted across the entire network of 10 JAMA journals after being published on January 21, 2016 in JAMA Ophthalmology. Contributing authors include: Paolo S. Silva, MD; Jerry D. Cavallerano, OD, PhD; Nour Maya N. Haddad, MD, MS; Dorothy Tolls, OD; Komal Thakore, OD; Bina Patel, OD; Mina Sehizadeh, OD; Ann M. Tolson, BS; Jennifer K. Sun, MD, MPH; Lloyd Paul Aiello, MD, PhD. This study was supported by the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund.