The importance of handheld retinal imaging in haemodialysis clinics

The number of people in Northern Ireland with diabetes is continuously increasingly with an estimated 112,000 living with a diabetes diagnosis. Of these, most will develop some kind of diabetic eye disease while almost 4 in 5 people with diabetes will develop kidney disease, some of which will require renal dialysis.

The diabetic eye screening programme in Northern Ireland has started and continues to conduct clinics in haemodialysis units across Northern Ireland. This allows renal dialysis patients to attend for eye screening while at their normal dialysis appointment. A non-mydriatic fundus camera and a handheld Optomed Aurora retinal camera were taken to these clinics

Initial results show that a majority of patients were wheelchair bound with approximately 60% unable to transfer to another chair for imaging. Around 40% of these patients were also amputees. All patients were able to be imaged by the handheld Optomed camera while some were unable to be imaged by the fixed camera. Thirty-two percent of images taken on the handheld camera were of ungradable standard due to cataract with 35% having no DR or mild DR and 29% having vision threatening DR.

The implementation of handheld imaging into clinics such as dialysis clinics could be very important for the future. Handheld imaging devices allow imaging of those who have co-morbities which prevent them from transferring. In addition, a handheld imaging camera could allow for imaging during their dialysis treatment, allowing more convenient appointments and timing.