Comparing the effectiveness of telemedicine and traditional surveillance in providing diabetic retinopathy screening examinations: a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine the effectiveness of telemedicine for providing diabetic retinopathy screening examinations compared with the effectiveness of traditional surveillance in community health clinics with a high proportion of minorities, including American Indian/Alaska Natives.

Subjects and methods

We conducted a multicenter, randomized controlled trial and assigned diabetic participants to one of two groups: (1) telemedicine with a nonmydriatic camera or (2) traditional surveillance with an eye care provider. For those receiving telemedicine, the criteria for requiring follow-up with an eye care provider were (1) moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy or higher, (2) presence of clinically significant macular edema, or (3) "unable to grade" result for diabetic re

SUBMITTER: Mansberger SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3850428 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature