Eastern Plumas Health Care has worked hard to get its Diabetic Retinopathy Screening program up and running. Last month, Dr. Harry Green of UC Berkeley’s School of Optometry, made the nine hour round trip from Berkeley to train four EPHC employees to take the photos that are central to a quality digital retinopathy screening program. Now, both Christina Potter, FNP, and Nicole Tuccori, MA, have received their Certification through Berkeley’s EyePACS (Eye Picture Communication System) program to begin screening Plumas County’s diabetic patients. Potter will also perform the brief exam and eye dilation that are a part of the screening process.
This test, which doesn’t replace a full eye exam, is nevertheless essential because DR is the leading cause of blindness in American adults—blindness that is preventable in ninety percent of cases if detected in time. “The scary part is you may have advanced stage disease and not know it until you start losing your sight—and it usually affects both eyes,” said Community Programs Coordinator, Linda Satchwell.
Because there is only one eye care provider in the county, Dr. Feil O.D. in Chester, who accepts Medi-Cal patients due to the low compensation rate by insurance providers, many of the county’s diabetic patients haven’t had this essential screening. Now that there is a simple, local test, which is covered by Medi-Cal and most other insurance providers, EPHC hopes to screen as many diabetic patients in need as possible.
Eight images are taken of the patient’s eyes. These are uploaded to EyePACS, where leading optometrists at UC Berkeley read the images and determine if treatment is necessary. If their eyes are healthy, patients should have this screening once a year. If changes are noted, the UC Berkeley optometrists will refer patients to an ophthalmologist for treatment. According to Satchwell, Medi-Cal providers are required to provide transportation for patients who need that service. “We will make sure that every patient who needs follow up care and treatment will get where they need to go to make that happen,” she added.
Diabetic Retinopathy damages blood vessels in the eye. It can cause vision loss in two ways. First, weak, abnormal blood vessels develop when healthy ones are blocked by DR. The weak vessels leak blood in the center of the eye, blurring vision. This is called Stage 4, Proliferative Retinopathy, or advanced stage disease. Second, fluid can leak into the part of the eye where straight ahead vision occurs, in the macula. Termed macular edema, this can occur at any stage of DR.
All people with Type 1 & 2 Diabetes are at risk of getting diabetic retinopathy. Between 40 – 45 percent of diabetic Americans have some stage of diabetic retinopathy. Once diagnosed, timely treatment can prevent vision loss. Ninety percent of people with advanced stage Diabetic Retinopathy will not go blind if they are diagnosed and treated.
EPHC’s first diabetic retinopathy screenings will be in Loyalton, Feb. 26 and Portola, Feb. 28. Call 832-6600 or 993-1231 to schedule an appointment.