Pharmacy based diabetic eye screening

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness in working age Americans. Vision loss due to DR can be prevented with early detection and treatment. However, the rate of retinopathy screening remains low. Pharmacies are often a patient's primary point of contact with the health profession. Hence, this study aims to determine the feasibility of integrating a portable handheld camera for eye screening without the need for pupil dilation at pharmacies located in rural and urban areas of North Carolina. The average consumer visits a pharmacy 35 times per year, making pharmacies an ideal setting for evaluating this DR screening model. Additionally, we will also assess the feasibility of integrating an automated grading system for retinal images. If successful, results from this study can be used to increase and improve community-based health care by integrating pharmacies and clinical care.