• Sharon Atkinson-Briggs, Alicia Jenkins, Anthony Keech, Christopher Ryan, Laima Brazionis, and Centre of Research Excellence in Diabetic Retinopathy Study Group.
• Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne (St Vincent's Hospital), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
• Intern Med J. 2023 Jul 1; 53 (7): 118811951188-1195.

BackgroundNationally, Indigenous Australians are more likely to have diabetes and diabetic retinopathy (DR) than non-Indigenous Australians. However, the prevalence of DR and impaired vision in regional primary care settings is unclear.AimTo describe the prevalence and severity of DR and presenting vision level among Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes attending an indigenous primary care clinic in regional Australia.MethodsParticipants underwent nurse-led retinal imaging and DR screening with offsite retinal grading in the integrated Diabetes Education and Eye Screening (iDEES) project implemented at a regional indigenous primary healthcare setting between January 2018 and March 2020.ResultsOf 172 eligible adults, 135 (79%) were recruited and screened for DR and vision level. The median age was 56 (46-67) years, 130 (96%) had type 2 diabetes of median (interquartile range) duration 6 (2-12) years and 48 (36%) were male. Images from 132 (97.8%) participants were gradable. DR was present in 38 (29%) participants: mild non-proliferative in 33 (25%); moderate-severe in three (2.5%); and sight-threatening two (1.5%). Subnormal presenting vision was present in 33%.ConclusionsA nurse-led model of care integrating diabetes eye screening and education at a single visit was successful at recruiting Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes, screening their vision and acquiring a high rate of gradable images. Even for a short duration of known diabetes, DR was present in three out of 10 patients screened.© 2021 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

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