The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA ) has published a scoping report of evidence supporting a proposal by the National Screening Service (NSS ) to extend diabetic retinopathy screening intervals from one to two years, for those at low risk of diabetic retinopathy progression, in Ireland.
Informed by the evidence provided by HIQA, the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC ) has recommended the proposal to the Minister for Health, who has approved it for implementation.
HIQA stated: "Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, and is a common cause of vision impairment and sight loss. It is estimated that 19,000 people in Ireland with diabetes are at risk of developing sight loss due to retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy screening programmes can help prevent sight loss by detecting damage to the back of the eye in a timely manner and beginning treatment early."
HIQA also found that in people with diabetes who do not have retinopathy (damage to their retina ), their risk of retinopathy progression within two years was very low. It also found that for those at low risk, less frequent screening intervals may be a more efficient use of resources, and will likely result in similar patient outcomes compared with annual screening.
Dr Máirín Ryan, HIQA’s Deputy CEO and Director of Health Technology Assessment, said: "Extending the diabetic retinopathy screening intervals from one to two years for those at low risk, appears to be safe and beneficial. Any changes to a screening programme should be accompanied by an extensive communication campaign, involving stakeholders, to address any potential concerns they may have."
HIQA added that extending the screening interval for people with diabetes, who are at low risk of retinopathy progression, is in keeping with developments in other high income countries, such as England, New Zealand, Denmark and Iceland.
