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Research - Diabetic eye screening

International Diabetes Conference - November 2005
   

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Diabetic eye screening - General information

Delegates of the International Diabetes Conference - November 2005 - Photo taken in Liverpool Town Hall.A two day international conference discussing issues surrounding the effect diabetes has on vision and ways to treat and diagnose the condition in its early stages was held in Liverpool on 17th November 2005.

Over 200 experts, including national representatives from 30 European countries, gathered for the conference, which was organised by St Paul's Eye Unit.

The conference also marked the 15th Anniversary of the St Vincent Declaration - an international agreement which set targets around care for people with diabetes and particularly in preventing blindness.

Opening the event, Professor Eva Kohner, lead discussions on the importance of sharing best practice for early detection of diabetic retinopathy across a world where the number of people diagnosed with diabetes is significantly rising.

Liverpool was invited to host the conference in recognition of the Unit's ambitious screening programme. Through the use of mobile eye screening units, St Paul's aims to screen all people with diabetes in Liverpool by 2007.

Screening for diabetic eye disease is the main way to reduce the burden of visual disability in Europe from the disease. Many countries do not have well established screening and there is an urgent need to push ahead with developing national programmes.

St Paul's established one of the first diabetic eye screening programmes in the UK in 1991 and has played a significant part in lobbying the UK Government to establish targets, ensuring those affected by diabetes receive the appropriate care.

Professor Francesco Bandello, President of the European Association for the Study of Diabetic Eye Complications, who attended from Milan, said:

"Throughout Europe we have seen a sharp rise in the number of people diagnosed with diabetes and this figure is set to continue to rise. Diabetes is a condition which affects many parts of the body including the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the commonest causes of blindness despite the fact that in most cases it can be successfully treated with laser treatment if sight threatening changes are detected early enough."

"Although treatment is effective it is important to note that laser treatment can only preserve the sight a person has and not restore vision, making it essential that we catch diabetic retinopathy at an early stage. Screening for diabetic retinopathy is the only reliable way to detect changes before the vision is affected. This meeting will help to set standards and targets for screening right across Europe."

Diabetic eye screening - General information

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