Retinal photography in diabetes in general practice: How worthwhile?

Although retinal photography is established in hospital diabetes clinics there has been little evaluation of it in general practice. This study examines the outcome of non‐mydriatic retinal photography (NMRP) performed on‐site within general practice in NE England. The three participating practices already had a structured diabetes care system and the results from the NMRP were compared with previously recorded information. From the 200 photographs assessed there was a 22% reporting failure rate because of technical problems. No statistically significant difference was found in the numbers of abnormalities noted by NMRP and conventional screening, although two eyes with proliferative retinopathy were discovered. Patient attendance for NMRP was 75% but the operational efforts and costs apart from equipment, technical operation and consultant reporting had to be borne by the practices. The study does not establish the value of NMRP for screening in general practices where structured diabetes care already exists, but this may be more valuable where structured care does not already exist.