A community screening programme in Cork of patients with diabetes has detected sight-threatening eye disease in just under 1% of patients.

GP who are members of the Diabetes in General Practice (DIGP) invited nearly 3,600 diabetes patients for diabetic retinopathy screening last year.

Of these, 1,763 were screened. GPs, optometrists and community eye doctors took part in the screening.

Among those screened, sight-threatening retinopathy was detected in 11 patients, one of whom required emergency referral to an eye specialist.

If was found that six of the patients with sight-threatening retinopathy had not been attending an eye specialist.

According to the HSE, the screening programme maximised the use of existing community resources.

It said the screening initiative showed it was possible to address some of the current screening deficits using health resources that are already in place.

A national diabetic retinopathy screening progamme is due to be launched towards the end of this year.

Blindness due to diabetic retinopathy, a condition which can develop in people with diabetes, accounted for more than 10% of new sight-loss registrations among working adults in 2003.

Retinopathy is a treatable complication of diabetes if it is detected early through screening and timely medical intervention.

One in six have never had eye test

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