Course: Sound Optometry: Episode 31 - Diabetic retinopathy screening and treatment

Section

General

Domains: Clinical practice

No CPD Points

Welcome to Docet’s podcast Sound Optometry, hosted by Michelle Hanratty, an IP optometrist with 20 years’ experience on the high street and in hospital. Each month, with case studies and in-depth conversations, we will be exploring topics that matter the most to you as optometrists and are relevant for everyday practice.

Episode 31 - Diabetic retinopathy screening and treatment

The diabetic retinopathy screening service in England has been hugely successful since its implementation twenty years ago. This podcast episode starts with a 'fly on the wall' recording of a real screening appointment within the NHS. Dr Cathy Egan then explains how AI systems work and reveals how the potential of AI will improve services to the public and increase research capability.

We then hear about the current treatments that are used to treat patients that have been identified as being at risk of vision loss from consultant ophthalmologist Sajjad Mahmood. Treatments for peripheral retinopathy as well as for diabetic macula oedema are explained.

An additional reading element consolidates the learning on this topic.

Subscribe to the series on your preferred podcast player so you don’t miss an episode. You can access all episodes of Sound Optometry here.

First published: July 2023
Last reviewed: June 2024

Open allClose all

Instructions: Clicking on the section name will show / hide the section.

Learning outcomes

Clinical Practice

s.5 Keep your knowledge and skills up to date

Able to assess and recognise the signs indicating diabetic retinopathy.
Know the current treatments that are available for patients with diabetic retinopathy.

s.6 Recognise, and work within, your limits of competence

Recognise when a diabetic patient needs to be referred to the hospital eye service for further investigation.

Unit 1 - Diabetic retinopathy audio track (~27 min)

Audio track
Please listen to the podcast available here or through your preferred podcast listening app. Select the blue arrow at the bottom of the player to access various podcast apps.
Key Points
Diabetic retinopathy screening – a patient perspective
How AI works in diabetic retinopathy screening
Challenges for an improved service using AI
Retinopathy stages
Current treatments for retinopathy
A multidisciplinary approach to managing diabetic patients.

Unit 2 - Required reading (~25 min)

More information

References
URL1. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (2012) Diabetic Retinopathy Guidelines. [Accessed Jul 2023] URL Opens in a new window.
URL2. Gov.uk (2021) NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Programme: grading definitions for referable disease. [Accessed Jul 2023] URL Opens in a new window.
Docet would like to thank the following for their contribution to this programme:
Mr Kam Rajaby – Senior retinal screening grader, St Thomas' Hospital, London.
Dr Cathy Egan – Consultant ophthalmologist and clinical lead for the diabetic retinopathy service, Moorfields Eye Hospital.
Mr Sajjad Mahmood – Consultant ophthalmologist and former clinical lead for medical retina, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

Evaluation

FeedbackFeedback form

Certificate

Certificate available only to users who had successfully completed the CPD quiz prior to 28 June 2024.

Save this document and upload it to your MyGOC account to claim your CPD points.