News

Over £500,000 is being invested in research projects to evaluate the effectiveness of screening tests used in diabetic eye care.

One project, part of the National Institute for Health Research's Health Technology Assessment programme, will investigate ways of improving screening for diabetic macular oedema with the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT).

'We hope that our research will help to improve detection of macular oedema from retinal photographs as this will reduce unnecessary anxiety and save time,' said lead researcher Dr John Olson of the University of Aberdeen.

Diabetes is expected to double in the next 10-15 years, with diabetic retinopathy affecting one in three diabetes sufferers, said the researchers.

Meanwhile, a team from the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York will investigate colour vision testing to help identify patients at risk of diabetic retinopathy.

They aim to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of using colour vision testing in patient management.

● Visit www.hta.ac.uk/1665 and www.hta.ac.uk/1703.

Providing exclusive eye care news, information and educational needs every week, including a FREE CET programme. Subscribe to Optician Print Edition.