The first clinic of the Diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy (Diagnose-DR) Pilot Study, was successfully conducted at the Eye Care Center (ECC) of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. The event marked a significant milestone in the overall Diagnose-DR project.
The Diagnose-DR Pilot Study is part of a broader collaboration involving the Sri Lanka Health and Ageing Study (SLHAS) Consortium and the University College London (UCL), supported by Velux Stiftung. This partnership aims to enhance the research capabilities and improve health outcomes related to diabetic retinopathy in Sri Lanka. Diagnose-DR is a multi-centre project that will study the feasibility of the use of AI-assisted retinal imaging cameras by non-specialist healthcare staff to screen people with diabetes for diabetic retinopathy, a common complication of diabetes. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionise diabetic retinopathy screening in Sri Lanka, providing timely and effective interventions to prevent blindness. The Diagnose-DR project will also provide national estimates of the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, a preventable cause of poor vision in people with diabetes. It will also produce a “risk score” to identify which people with diabetes may be at risk of diabetic retinopathy, so that screening can be arranged for these individuals.
The Diagnose-DR Pilot Study is an important first step to assess the methods that will be used in the broader project, in particular, assessing whether non-specialist healthcare workers can be trained to take high-quality images using an AI-assisted retinal imaging device, as well as checking whether the automatic interpretation given by AI on the device matches well with the ophthalmologist’s review of the participant using gold-standard procedures. Participants in this study have a vision check, imaging of their eyes (retinas), and a free eye examination by the Director of the Eye Care Center, Consultant Eye Surgeon, Professor Madhuwanthi Dissanayake.
Twenty-two participants attended the first clinic, with efficiency and dedication displayed by all involved, including volunteer undergraduate and graduate data collectors, setting a high standard for future clinics for the national project. The collaborative spirit and commitment to improving eye health in Sri Lanka were evident throughout the day, paving the way for the success of the Diagnose-DR Pilot Study.
The study team.
A participant being reviewed by the Consultant Eye Surgeon, Professor Madhuwanthi Dissanayake.
A participant having his vision checked.
A participant having a retinal photo taken using the handheld retinal imaging camera.
