Dear editor
We appreciate the authors’ comments on our manuscript.Citation1
Our paper focuses on addressing technical failures when capturing fundal images in a nationwide community-based diabetic retinopathy screening program. Patients undergo colour photography, and those with maculopathy and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 6/18 or better also have digital surveillance using a combination of colour digital photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Patients with maculopathy and BCVA of worse than 6/18 or with sight-threatening retinopathy i.e. pre-proliferative or proliferative retinopathy are referred to a medical retinal ophthalmologist in the nearest treatment centre.
While OCT during screening in the community can rule out macular pathology and avoid referral to a treatment centre, the retinopathy grade remains unknown if the images cannot be graded. Patients with ungradable images or who are unable to position for photography, are referred to a local optometrist for further assessment using slit lamp biomicroscopy.
If further investigation is required, the patient is then referred to a medical retinal ophthalmologist in the patient’s nearest treatment centre where comprehensive multimodal imaging can be performed.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this communication.
Reference
- Budu ET, Idrus HH. Addressing technical failures in a diabetic retinopathy screening program [Letter]. Clin Ophthalmol. 2024;18:849–850. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S465913