Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the major causes of visual loss nowadays in many countries. The application of the assessment of DR in general diabetes care will be essentially important for early detection and prompt medical intervention of sight-threatening DR. This is probably a much more efficient approach for preventing diabetes-related visual loss than the traditional DR screening by eye specialists.

In places where monitoring of DR for general diabetes care is not available, a screening program for sight-threatening DR should be established. The DR image diagnosis (DR grading) is preferably performed with the conventional eye-care-centered grading standards by an ophthalmology-based image diagnosis (DR grading) service since the screening program is eye-care-oriented. Systemic quality control management should be accepted for the screen process and the DR grading process.

Program Administration: BDCI