We’ve published our 2020-2021 Diabetic RetinaScreen statistical bulletin. The report gives an overview of diabetic retinopathy screening in Ireland during this period. It highlights the impact of the programme, key trends and important updates in diabetic eye screening.
Diabetic RetinaScreen is for everyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes aged 12 and over. It’s free of charge and if treatment is needed, this is also free. Diabetic eye screening looks for signs of an eye disease called retinopathy - a complication of diabetes that affects the small blood vessels at the back of the eye. It can cause damage to a person’s eyesight and can cause sight loss over time. There are three main stages of retinopathy. When diabetic retinopathy is found early, treatment can reduce or prevent damage to the eyesight.
Highlights from the report
- The number of eligible people on the Diabetic RetinaScreen register has grown by 4% year-on-year since 2015.
- The number of eligible people offered a screening appointment and who attended for screening was lower in 2020 as we paused screening for 3 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. When we started screening again, capacity was limited by infection control safety measures.
- In 2021, we screened 97,441 people, a 49% increase from 2020.
- The uptake rate in 2021 was 71.6%, exceeding our standard of 70%.
- Uptake is lowest in people aged 22 to 44.
Screening outcomes
- In 2020 and 2021, over 60% of people who took part in screening had no retinopathy found and were returned to routine recall.
- Fewer than 1 in 3 people had background retinopathy, and smaller proportions had pre-proliferative or proliferative retinopathy.
- The rate of background retinopathy (both pre-proliferative and proliferative retinopathy) was highest among those aged 22 to 44.
- The rates of referral to digital surveillance are increasing slightly year on year. Digital surveillance is for people who have had a recent eye screening that showed changes to the back of the eye, are referred for treatment, and then need close monitoring.
- Routine referral rates have decreased since the last reporting period.
- The number of urgent referrals to ophthalmology remained low but slightly increased.
New two-year screening pathway
In 2021, we introduced a new screening interval for people who have had two consecutive screenings showing no retinopathy. These people now get an appointment for screening every two years. This reduces unnecessary appointments while maintaining high-quality care, and it’s in line with international best practice.