Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 May 18;3(9):1542-1544.
doi: 10.34067/KID.0001802022. eCollection 2022 Sep 29.

The Integration of Diabetic Eye Screening into Hemodialysis Units in Northern Ireland

Laura N Cushley  1   2 , Nicola B Quinn  1 , Peter Blows  1 , Edward McKeever  3 , Tunde Peto  1   2
Affiliations

The Integration of Diabetic Eye Screening into Hemodialysis Units in Northern Ireland

Laura N Cushley et al. Kidney360. .

Abstract

Background: Diabetes is rising globally and is the most common cause of both end-stage renal disease and blindness. People on hemodialysis have to attend several dialysis appointments per week, which can affect their attendance at diabetic eye screening. In addition, previous literature suggests patients on hemodialysis are more likely to have sight-threatening diabetic eye disease. This study aims to determine attendance at the Diabetic Eye Screening Program in Northern Ireland, diabetic retinopathy severity, and use of handheld retinal imaging in people with diabetes attending hemodialysis units in Northern Ireland.

Methods: All patients with diabetes attending hemodialysis clinics regionally were screened and graded by the Diabetic Eye Screening Program in Northern Ireland using a handheld and/or conventional nonmydriatic fundus camera.

Results: All eligible people (N=149) were offered a Diabetic Eye Screening Program in Northern Ireland appointment, 132 attended, 34% of whom had not been seen in >3 years and 15% of whom had never attended the Diabetic Eye Screening Program in Northern Ireland despite multiple previous appointments. Altogether, 13% required urgent referral to hospital eye services, which is significantly higher than the national average of 0.4%.

Conclusions: Those on hemodialysis are at high risk for sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy. Implementing the Diabetic Eye Screening Program in Northern Ireland in hemodialysis clinics enables timely diagnosis and referral.

Keywords: Northern Ireland; diabetes; diabetes and the kidney; diabetic eye disease; diabetic retinopathy; eye screening; hemodialysis; nephrology.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

T. Peto reports research funding for Boehringen Ingelheim, Novartis, and Roche; an advisory or leadership role for Alimera, Apellis, Bayer, Novartis, Oxurion, and Roche; and participation in a speakers’ bureau for Alimera, Apellis, Bayer, Novartis, Oxurion, and Roche (speaker). All remaining authors have nothing to disclose.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Sarwar N, Gao P, Seshasai SR, Gobin R, Kaptoge S, Di Angelantonio E, Ingelsson E, Lawlor DA, Selvin E, Stampfer M, Stehouwer CD, Lewington S, Pennells L, Thompson A, Sattar N, White IR, Ray KK, Danesh J; Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration : Diabetes mellitus, fasting blood glucose concentration, and risk of vascular disease: A collaborative meta-analysis of 102 prospective studies [published correction appears in Lancet 376: 958, 2010 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61452-3]. Lancet 375: 2215–2222, 2010. 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60484-9 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Shahbazian H, Rezaii I: Diabetic kidney disease; Review of the current knowledge. J Renal Inj Prev 2: 73–80, 2013 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lee WJ, Sobrin L, Kang MH, Seong M, Kim YJ, Yi JH, Miller JW, Cho HY: Ischemic diabetic retinopathy as a possible prognostic factor for chronic kidney disease progression. Eye (Lond) 28: 1119–1125, 2014. 10.1038/eye.2014.130 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. UK Renal Registry : UK Renal Registry 23rd annual report—Data to 31/12/2019. Bristol, United Kingdom: UK Renal Registry, 2021
    1. Scanlon PH: The English National Screening Programme for diabetic retinopathy 2003–2016. Acta Diabetol 54: 515–525, 2017. 10.1007/s00592-017-0974-1 - DOI - PMC - PubMed