The NHS is rolling out advanced eye screening for people with diabetes, offering cutting-edge optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans at locations closer to home, such as GP practices, community hospitals, and mobile vans. This initiative aims to save up to 120,000 hospital appointments annually, preventing sight loss and easing pressure on the healthcare system.
Diabetic retinopathy, a condition caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the retina, can lead to blindness if not diagnosed and treated early. Regular eye screening is essential in identifying problems before they worsen, but traditional hospital appointments have often been a bottleneck in patient care.
Thanks to the introduction of OCT technology, more than 60,000 people already showing signs of eye disease can now receive screenings outside of hospitals, allowing for earlier detection and treatment. OCT scans, which use light waves to capture detailed 3D images of the eye, provide more accurate results than standard eye cameras, helping detect conditions like retinal thickening that traditional methods may miss.
Mike Cypher, a 56-year-old diabetic from Cheltenham, shared his experience with OCT, crediting the scan with saving his eyesight after it detected a significant bleed in his eye that could have caused irreparable damage. Cypher’s story highlights the crucial role of timely eye screenings in preventing serious vision loss.
Currently, around four million people are registered in the NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Programme, with 3.3 million receiving routine screenings. As the OCT rollout continues, it is expected to save significant numbers of appointments in the ophthalmology sector, which accounts for nearly 8% of the NHS waiting list.
Ophthalmology services, one of the busiest areas in outpatient care, see over 7.5 million appointments annually, making the use of OCT technology a critical step in reducing hospital backlogs. Once fully implemented by next October, this technology will be available in all NHS eye care services.
NHS National Director for Vaccinations and Screening, Steve Russell, expressed optimism that OCT’s broader use will not only prevent sight loss but also alleviate hospital pressures. Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock, emphasized that shifting care to community settings is a key goal of the NHS’s 10-Year Health Plan, aiming to provide more accessible healthcare and reduce the burden on emergency departments.
This initiative represents a significant step towards improving care for people with diabetes, ensuring timely diagnoses and preventing vision impairment, all while easing the strain on the NHS.
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