Research Update
A workshop was held from 15–17 November 2023 at the Eye Care Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo (FOM-UoC), where staff from the Institute for Health Policy and the FOM-UoC were trained by Mr. Chirag Gogri, a Senior Manager of Remidio, to use the Remidio Fundus-on-Phone (FOP) NM-10 device.
The aim of the workshop was to train future trainers of the DIAGNOSE-Diabetic Retinopathy Project (Training-of-Trainers - TOT), as well as expose medical students and staff of the FOM-UoC to the device and give them the opportunity to trial it.
Mr. Gogri gave in-depth information on the features of the device which make it ideal for screening for diabetic retinopathy by non-specialist healthcare staff in resource-constrained settings, as well as on the care and use of the device. The future trainers of the DIAGNOSE-Diabetic Retinopathy project were given ample opportunity to practice using the device with feedback given on their technique. In all, three investigators of the project received training, along with five staff from IHP and UoC, and 10 medical students from UoC.
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that damages the small blood vessels in the retina, the part of the eye responsible for vision. If left untreated, it can cause vision problems or lead to blindness. Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world, with 23% of adults affected. Screening for diabetic retinopathy typically requires an eye specialist and specialized equipment, but limited resources make widespread screening challenging. To address this, researchers are exploring the use of AI-assisted digital imaging to screen for diabetic retinopathy at primary and secondary care facilities. With modern technology, it's become possible for non-specialist health care staff to undertake diabetic retinopathy screening.
The DIAGNOSE-Diabetic Retinopathy project is a collaboration between the Sri Lanka Health and Ageing Study Consortium, led by the Institute for Health Policy, and University College London, with funding from Velux Stiftung.
