As diabetes becomes more prevalent, eye care practitioners must be poised to take an expanding role in the management and care of patients with this condition. This is especially important since diabetic eye diseases can cause vision impairment or loss. The American Optometric Association has introduced a new quick-reference guide (QRG), which is a summary of the first evidence-based 83-page clinical practice guideline released.
The condensed 9-page QRG “Eye Care of the Patient with Diabetes Mellitus,” which was released earlier this year, provides a review of the material presented in the comprehensive guide for key management information for your patients. It is meant to supplement the full guide and provide you with a quick go-to reference when making clinical decisions.
The AOA’s quick-reference guide for diabetes care includes a discussion on diabetic eye diseases and related problems, such as diabetic retinopathy, shown in the optomap image above.
The QRG includes a complete description of diabetes mellitus, risk factors, preventative measures and diagnostic criteria, as well as:
- Diabetic retinal disease discussion
- Ocular complications other than retinal
- Diagnosis of vision problems
- Tips on scheduling
- Treatment suggestions for disease management
- Management suggestions for systemic complications
- Vision impairment management for patients with diabetes
The chair of the AOA Evidence-Based Optometry Committee believes this guideline is placing optometrists ahead of other healthcare practitioners in adopting evidence-based processes. The guide will prove helpful for you, your patients and other healthcare providers you may team up with when providing comprehensive care for diabetes management and vision loss prevention.
In addition to this revolutionary quick-reference guide, the AOA has extensive tools and resource materials available on its website for optometrists. Optos is a proud sponsor of the collaborative effort with the AOA in producing a supplemental guide titled “Optometrists Form Front Line Battling Diabetes,” which focuses on your vital role as the primary caregiver in preventing vision loss and ensuring eye health for your patients with diabetes. As your diabetic patient load increases, these resources will be very helpful in letting you provide quality care for your patients suffering from this illness.
In addition to these resources, it’s important to equip your practice with imaging technology designed to help you see and treat more. Visit the Optos website to learn how our ultra-widefield technology can provide you the leading edge in your practice for early detection of retinal changes due to diabetes and other systemic diseases.