Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes which damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye. Approximately 25% of Australians with diabetes also have diabetic retinopathy, which is asymptomatic in the early stages and can lead to vision loss and blindness if undetected. The good news is that vision loss from diabetic retinopathy is preventable with management of risk factors and early detection via retinal screening. This executive summary describes the purpose, method and findings of a three year Vision Initiative project funded by Vision 2020 Australia and conducted by The ACBRD. The Diabetes and Eye Health project involved six phases and aimed to develop eye health promotion messages and materials to increase uptake of retinal screening for people newly diagnosed with diabetes. If you are interested in more detail on the Diabetes and Eye Health project, please email: info@acbrd.org.au.
To download a free copy of the Diabetes and Eye Health project Executive Summary, click here.