The £800,000 investment will provide a comprehensive screening programme available to all GPs to enable eligible patients with diabetes to be screened for sight threatening eye disease annually.
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that is a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the UK in people of working age. It is also a major cause of blindness in older people. Serious visual loss can be prevented by early detection and laser treatment.
Speaking at the launch, Michael McGimpsey said “With some 3% of the population of Northern Ireland affected by diabetes, early detection of retinopathy enables treatment which can prevent serious visual loss and blindness.
“The screening programme, in which my department will be investing over £800,000 each year, will provide comprehensive screening across Northern Ireland for detection of eye disease and treatment.
“A key aspect of the programme is that the screening, provided in co-operation with GPs, will be offered to people at local and community-based facilities.”
Following the full implementation of the screening programme in March 2008, it is intended that over 55,000 people in Northern Ireland who are known to have diabetes will be offered screening every year.
The screening is a painless procedure which involves taking a digital photograph of the back of each eye. The test takes about 15 minutes.
Iain Foster, Director of Diabetes UK Northern Ireland said: “Diabetes is a serious condition which if not carefully managed can lead to a range of life threatening complications. Blindness is one of the complications which people with diabetes fear the most, so the introduction of this new screening programme will benefit tens of thousands of people across Northern Ireland.
“As someone living with diabetes I can testify to the value of this programme and the reassurance it will give to thousands of people and their families.”
Notes to Editors:
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Process of eye screening:
Screening is offered to eligible people with diabetes who are 12 years old and over.
The screening test involves two digital photographs being taken of the back of each eye. The test is painless and takes about 15 minutes.
The images are then graded independently by two trained graders.
Results are relayed back to GPs and patients are informed of the results from the GPs. DRSP also informs patient’s diabetologist of the findings.
Anyone needing further treatment is then referred to hospital for assessment and treatment if required. Other patients are invited for screening in a year’s time.
