Devon Blog

Tag: diabetic-retinopathy

  • Better care with CarePlus: Preventative Screenings in Primary Care

    What if the most important health conditions could be caught early, right at your doctor’s office, without needing multiple appointments, specialists, or delays?

    CarePlus by HealthOcta is a new kind of technology platform built to transform how and where preventative healthcare happens. By enabling diagnostic screenings at the point of primary care, CarePlus helps identify critical health risks earlier, improving outcomes for patients, reducing long-term costs for payers, and empowering providers with better tools.

    What Is CarePlus?

    CarePlus is a software-powered screening platform that equips primary care offices with the tools, training, and workflows to deliver preventative health screenings during routine checkups. Screenings are either automated through structured questionnaires or powered by onsite imaging devices whose results are reviewed remotely by specialists on the CarePlus network.

    Our goal is simple but powerful: Bring preventative care to the frontline of medicine, the Primary Care Provider (PCP).

    What Problems Does CarePlus Solve?

    Preventative screenings are underutilized, despite their proven impact. Why?

    • They often require referrals, separate appointments, or specialized clinics
    • Many practices lack equipment or trained staff
    • Follow-through is low: patients don’t always act on referrals
    • Insurers bear the cost of avoidable disease progression

    CarePlus solves this by:

    • Embedding screenings into routine PCP workflows
    • Providing devices and software directly to the clinic
    • Training staff to capture the data without specialist supervision
    • Enabling remote reviews by credentialed specialists
    • Supporting proper documentation and payer reimbursement

    Our First Solution: Diabetic Retinopathy Screening

    We’re launching CarePlus with a major public health challenge in mind: diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.

    Why this matters:

    • Over 38 million Americans are diabetic or prediabetic
    • Eye exams are often skipped due to cost, time, logistics or simply the lack of proactive interest by a patient
    • Retinopathy is preventable if caught early

    How CarePlus Works:

    • A smart fundoscope is provided to PCP clinics
    • Medical assistants are trained to capture retinal images during the patient visit
    • Images are uploaded securely and read by licensed ophthalmologists in the CarePlus network
    • PCPs are notified of the results, and at-risk patients are referred
    • Payers reimburse both the screening and reading
    • Patients get better care, without extra effort or delays

    What’s Next: Expanding the Scope of Preventative Screening

    CarePlus is designed to be modular and extensible. Beyond retinopathy, we’re actively developing and validating new screening modules:

    In Development:

    • Mental Health Screenings
      Using evidence-based questionnaires (PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5), patients can be screened during visits with automated scoring and referral guidance. This is especially valuable as depression and anxiety go undetected in over 50% of primary care encounters.
    • Peripheral Artery Disease (ABI Testing)
      Early detection can prevent major cardiovascular complications.
    • Chronic Kidney Disease Screening
      With early indicators flagged via simple urinalysis or eGFR integration.
    • Cognitive Impairment / Dementia Screening
      Tools for aging populations using structured assessments (e.g., MoCA).
    • Spirometry for COPD and Asthma Management
      Lung function testing, simplified for use by PCP staff and reviewed remotely.

    Our Vision

    Preventative care should be:

    • Accessible at the point of contact
    • Affordable through payer-aligned workflows
    • Actionable with structured follow-up
    • Scalable across practices and populations

    CarePlus brings all of that together, starting with real tools, in real clinics, solving real problems.

    📩 Want to partner with us or learn how CarePlus can support your clinic or health system?
    Reach out at [email protected] or visit www.healthocta.com/careplus

  • Mental Health Screenings with CarePlus

    Bringing Proactive Mental Health Detection into Primary Care

    📊 The Need Is Urgent and Growing

    More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, yet over 50% go undiagnosed or untreated. Conditions like depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD can severely impact quality of life and physical health when left unaddressed. Delays in diagnosis often result in higher healthcare costs, emergency interventions, and avoidable chronic disease exacerbation.

    Despite the scale of this crisis, most primary care clinics lack the tools to effectively screen for mental health conditions during routine visits.

    💡 CarePlus Makes Mental Health Screening Simple, Scalable, and Effective

    CarePlus by HealthOcta integrates evidence-based mental health screenings directly into the annual wellness visit—empowering primary care providers (PCPs) to detect early warning signs of mental illness in minutes, using standardized tools and remote assessments.

    How It Works:

    1. Patients self-administer brief digital questionnaires (e.g., PHQ-9, GAD-7) at the clinic or via tablet during intake.
    2. Responses are securely reviewed by licensed mental health professionals through the CarePlus platform.
    3. PCPs receive a clinical summary with risk stratification and referral guidance.
    4. High-risk patients are flagged for follow-up or referral to in-network behavioral health providers.
    5. The entire process is reimbursable through existing preventive care billing codes.

    🎯 What Makes This Different?

    • No additional staff required: seamlessly fits into existing checkup workflows
    • No medical device needed: only a digital form and clinical review
    • Clinical-grade accuracy: based on validated diagnostic tools
    • Remote consultation model: mirrors our success with diabetic retinopathy screenings
    • Fully compliant & secure: HIPAA-compliant infrastructure and workflows

    🏥 Why It Elevates Care Quality

    • Earlier diagnosis → patients get help before symptoms worsen
    • Lower stigma → mental health becomes a standard, routine part of care
    • Continuity of care → PCPs stay involved throughout the mental health journey
    • Better outcomes → reduces hospitalizations, absenteeism, and crisis care
    • Lower cost of care → improves payer ROI through prevention

    ✅ Screen for the Most Prevalent Conditions

    ConditionScreening ToolU.S. Adults AffectedAvg. Detection Time w/o Screening
    DepressionPHQ-921 millionOften >6 months
    AnxietyGAD-740 millionOften >12 months
    Stress & BurnoutPSS70 million (est.)Rarely detected formally
    PTSDPCL-58 millionFrequently missed in PCP visits

    🚀 Bring Mental Health to the Frontline of Preventive Care

    CarePlus enables you to close care gaps, reduce silent suffering, and provide whole-person care—all without adding operational complexity.

    📞 Contact us to integrate mental health screenings into your practice
    📧 [email protected] | 📍 Serving clinics nationwide

  • Introducing CarePlus: A Platform Transforming Preventative Screening in Primary Care

    What is CarePlus?

    CarePlus is a technology platform designed to embed preventative health screenings directly into the primary care office workflow. It integrates digital diagnostic devices and patient-friendly questionnaires, enabling medical assistants and PCP staff to perform screenings during routine visits. Data collected, ranging from questionnaire responses to imaging results, is securely transmitted to remote specialists for expert review. The platform further employs algorithmic risk stratification and longitudinal data analysis to support ongoing patient management and timely referrals.

    What Impact Does CarePlus Bring to Healthcare? Who Does It Help?

    CarePlus addresses critical gaps in current healthcare delivery by making preventative screenings more accessible, timely, and efficient. Its impact includes:

    • For Payers and Health Systems: Early identification and management of high-risk patients reduce downstream expenditures and support population health goals through data-driven insights.
    • For Patients: Earlier detection of chronic conditions reduces morbidity and prevents costly complications, improving quality of life. Screenings integrated into routine visits lower barriers such as time, cost, and access to specialists.
    • For Primary Care Providers (PCPs): CarePlus expands clinical capabilities, allowing PCPs to deliver more comprehensive care and receive reimbursement for new services, without significant workflow disruption.
    • For Specialists: Remote interpretation of screening data optimizes specialist time by focusing on clinically significant cases referred through the platform.

    CarePlus and Diabetic Retinopathy Screening: A Use Case

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) affects over 38 million Americans with diabetes or prediabetes, yet many patients miss annual eye exams, leading to preventable vision loss. CarePlus addresses this by deploying a digital fundoscope within the PCP office, operated by trained staff during routine checkups.

    • Retinal images captured are securely transmitted to a network of remote ophthalmologists who grade the images based on standardized criteria.
    • Patients flagged as at-risk are referred promptly for specialist intervention.
    • Those without immediate risk are scheduled for re-evaluation during their next annual screening.
    • The platform can employ algorithmic analysis and longitudinal tracking to monitor changes over time, ensuring continuous patient surveillance and proactive care management.

    This approach effectively closes the gap between primary care and specialty ophthalmology, improving screening rates and enabling early intervention.

    Extending CarePlus to Other High-Impact Screening Areas

    The CarePlus model, integrating onsite screening tools, remote specialist review, and algorithmic patient monitoring is scalable and adaptable to multiple domains with large patient populations:

    • Mental Health: Questionnaires such as PHQ-9 and GAD-7 administered at the PCP office, with results evaluated remotely to identify depression and anxiety early.
    • Peripheral Artery Disease: ABI testing performed onsite with results digitally reviewed to prevent vascular complications.
    • Chronic Kidney Disease: Lab data integrated with algorithmic alerts for early nephrology referral.
    • Cognitive Impairment: Standardized cognitive assessments facilitating early dementia diagnosis.
    • Pulmonary Function: Simplified spirometry used to identify and monitor COPD and asthma.

    Each use case leverages the same principles of embedding screening into routine primary care visits, remote expert interpretation, and data-driven patient management, targeting conditions with significant public health burden.

    CarePlus is positioned to transform preventative care by operationalizing technology and clinical expertise where it matters most: the primary care office.

    Join Us in Shaping the Future of Preventative Health

    Are you a physician, healthcare operator, or subject matter expert with insight into diagnostics, primary care workflows, or health equity?
    HealthOcta is building an expert advisory group to help us define, refine, and expand our CarePlus offerings. Your experience can directly influence scalable solutions that improve outcomes for millions.

    To express interest, email us at [email protected]



  • Diabetes Doesn’t Knock, It Quietly Slips In. Why Education Is Our Best Defense.

    Diabetes Is a Silent Killer. Here’s Why Diabetes Education Saves Lives.

    Diabetes is one of the most widespread chronic diseases in the world. It affects over 500 million people globally and more than 38 million adults in the U.S., yet 1 in 5 people with diabetes are undiagnosed. Often called a “silent killer,” diabetes can progress quietly for years—damaging your organs without noticeable symptoms.

    By the time it’s discovered, serious complications may already be underway.

    That’s why diabetes awareness and education about diabetes are essential—not just for people who’ve already been diagnosed, but for anyone at risk.

    What Does Diabetes Do to the Body?

    Understanding how diabetes affects the body is the first step toward preventing long-term damage. Whether you have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or prediabetes, the condition can harm multiple organ systems when left unmanaged.

    Key complications of diabetes include:

    • Diabetic Retinopathy: Leading cause of blindness in adults. Regular diabetic eye exams can catch this early.
    • Kidney Damage (Diabetic Nephropathy): Diabetes is the top cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure.
    • Nerve Damage (Diabetic Neuropathy): Leads to pain, numbness, and serious risks like foot ulcers and amputations.
    • Cardiovascular Disease: People with diabetes are 2–4 times more likely to have heart attacks or strokes.
    • Oral Health Complications: Higher risk of gum disease and tooth loss.

    These complications develop slowly and silently, which is why so many people miss the early warning signs.

    Why Diabetes Education Is Important

    What is diabetes education and why is it important? It’s the foundation of diabetes self-management and plays a crucial role in helping people understand:

    • How blood sugar levels affect their health
    • The importance of diet, exercise, and stress management
    • How to use insulin, oral medications, and glucose monitors
    • The value of routine diabetes screenings like A1C tests, cholesterol panels, kidney function tests, and annual diabetic foot and eye exams

    For those with prediabetes, education is even more powerful. Studies show that structured diabetes prevention programs can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58%.

    Diabetes Educators across the world are educating patients via their eClinics run on HealthOcta technology to help patients learn how they can manage & lower their A1C through without medications, just with the simple power of being better informed

    Long-Term Diabetes Management Starts with Knowledge

    Living with diabetes doesn’t mean living with fear—it means living with knowledge. People who understand how to manage their condition are far more likely to avoid hospitalizations, preserve their vision, maintain kidney function, and reduce their risk of cardiovascular events.

    This is where Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs) and primary care providers make a difference. Educating patients with personalized care plans, lifestyle strategies, and tech-enabled tools like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) can empower them to take control of their health.

    A Message to Primary Care Providers

    If you’re a physician, nurse practitioner, diabetes educator or clinic manager, don’t wait for diabetes complications to emerge. Use every patient visit as a chance to:

    • Recommend annual diabetes screenings
    • Flag prediabetes risk factors
    • Encourage lifestyle changes that actually work
    • Offer or refer to diabetes education programs or nutrition counseling

    Diabetes management isn’t just about medication — it’s about early action, consistent follow-up, and patient education that sticks.

    We invite you to join the HealthCare Collaborative Network by HealthOcta,
    HealthOcta is a technology-driven healthcare company on a mission to fuse cutting-edge technology with medicine — empowering providers to deliver better care, drive efficiency, and improve patient outcomes.

    As part of this mission, we have created the Healthcare Collaborative Network (HCN) — a nationwide community of independent physicians, nurse practitioners, specialists, and nurses who want to do more with technology. HCN is your gateway to use our technology to launch and grow your own practice, earn more on your own terms, and access HealthOcta’s powerful suite of tools — from telemedicine, technology-enabled peripheral integrations, to hiring, scheduling, and even reputation management.

    Whether you’re looking to build independence, expand your reach, streamline how you work, or use technology in your existing independent practice to be more efficient or serve your patients better, HCN gives you the tech, the network, and the support to make it happen — while keeping you in full control of your career.

  • Working smarter, not harder: how HealthOcta is taking a tech-led, people-first approach to healthcare

    Healthcare has a technology problem, but not in the way people think.

    There’s no shortage of apps, portals, or EMRs. What’s missing is technology that makes healthcare more human, not more complicated. At HealthOcta, we’ve been asking one question from the start: How can we reduce friction between patients, providers, and quality care?

    The answer isn’t more layers of software. It’s designing the right tools to serve real people, starting where care actually happens: at the point of need.

    That’s why we built VideoConsults, CarePlus, and eClinics—three platforms, one vision. Each tackles a broken part of healthcare and replaces it with something that just works.

    VideoConsults: real-time access to sub-speciality care, wherever you are

    VideoConsults gives emergency rooms, ACOs, assisted living facilities, and urgent care centers on-demand access to remote subspecialists. When a critical patient arrives and an expert’s input is needed fast, clinicians can instantly connect with a licensed specialist who can assess the case and guide next steps.

    This eliminates unnecessary patient transfers due to lack of in-house expertise. Hospitalists and ER physicians can act faster, with more confidence, knowing they have a world of expertise at their fingertips, right when it matters most.

    CarePlus: embedding preventative care inside the primary care office

    Most health conditions don’t go from fine to critical overnight. But the system rarely catches early warning signs because screenings either don’t happen or aren’t part of routine care.

    CarePlus is changing that. We built it to let primary care physicians offer specialist-grade screenings—right from their office. It started with diabetic retinopathy. Using smart imaging devices and cloud-based ophthalmology reviews, PCPs can now detect vision-threatening conditions during an annual checkup.

    And this is just the beginning. With the same model, CarePlus can support:

    • mental health screenings (PHQ-9, GAD-7),
    • pulmonary function tests,
    • cardiac risk stratification,
    • chronic kidney disease detection,
    • cognitive assessments for aging patients.
    • skin cancer screenings
    • and much more…

    The opportunity is huge, and we’re actively inviting specialists, clinical researchers, and diagnostic innovators to help expand what’s possible. Preventative care should be routine, not reactive. CarePlus helps make that true.

    eClinics: on-demand care, without the insurance maze

    For patients, one of the most frustrating parts of the system is the delay: long wait times, referrals, unclear costs, and insurance-based restrictions. For providers, it’s burnout—rising admin loads and loss of autonomy.

    eClinics gives both sides another option.

    It’s a platform where licensed medical professionals can offer direct-to-patient consultations—with transparent pricing, no referrals, and complete scheduling control. Patients use eClinics for second opinions, chronic condition guidance, general medical advice, or anything in between. Whether they’re insured or not, they can access expert care faster, more affordably, and with no guesswork.

    For doctors, eClinics is a way to practice medicine on their terms, free from rigid institutional constraints. It’s flexible, self-managed, and built for sustainability.

    The bigger picture: a healthcare system that actually works

    Together, these platforms form a new kind of healthcare stack, one that values access, prevention, speed, and dignity.

    • VideoConsults supports clinical decisions where specialty care isn’t always present.
    • CarePlus turns the PCP visit into a proactive screening event, not just a box to check.
    • eClinics puts patients back in control of their care journey, without bureaucracy in the way.

    These aren’t point solutions. They’re infrastructure for a future where patients don’t need to be sick to deserve care, and providers don’t need to burn out to make a difference.

    We’re building the tools we believe healthcare should have had all along.

    If you’re a clinician, technologist, or health system leader looking to help solve real-world problems, we’d love to hear from you. We’re constantly seeking knowledgeable advisors and guides to help us shape our vision and the future of healthcare.

    Because smart technology isn’t about replacing people. It’s about letting them do what they do best.

  • 20 Conditions that your Ophthalmologist could detect by an eye exam

    The contents of this post are copied directly from this article at the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

    Your eyes are windows to the live action of blood vessels, nerves and connective tissues throughout your body. Problems spotted in the eye are often the first signs of disease lurking elsewhere. Here are 20 surprising conditions your eye doctor may detect during a comprehensive eye exam:

    Aneurysm

    An aneurysm is a bubble in the wall of a blood vessel. This weak wall can leak or rupture. Signs of an aneurysm can include a severe, one-sided headache or loss of facial or body function. Aneurysms can be catastrophic and require immediate medical attention.

    Brain tumor

    Tumors can cause increased pressure in the brain that gets transmitted to the eye. Swelling near the back of the eyes causes changes to the optic nerve that an eye doctor can see. Loss of side vision, recent double vision or changes in the size of a pupil are other signs of a brain tumor.

    Cancers of blood, tissue or skin

    Numerous cancers can be found during a detailed eye exam. Skin cancers affect the eyelids and outer surfaces of the eye. The most common types of skin cancers are basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma. Leukemia and lymphoma can also affect the interior aspect of the eye. Tumors in the breast and other areas can spread to the ocular structures. 

    Diabetes

    Tiny blood vessels in the retina that leak yellow fluid or blood can be a sign of diabetic retinopathy. Sometimes, this disease appears in eye tissue even before a person has been diagnosed with diabetes. Early detection can help people avoid vision loss and other serious complications.

    Giant cell arteritis

    Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a lingering inflammation of medium-sized arteries that affects the arms, upper body and neck. These same arteries help nourish the eyes, and inflammation can result in blurred vision, double vision, or even sudden vision loss in one or both eyes. A dilated eye exam and blood tests for this condition can allow for an early diagnosis of GCA. Medical treatment can prevent a lifetime of blindness or even early death.

    Heart disease

    Ophthalmologists may be able to detect early signs of heart disease in the eyes. When the retina is examined carefully using an imaging tool called optical coherence tomography, doctors may be able to detect microscopic marks left behind by an eye stroke. These marks can appear in the retinas of healthy people, but they’re found in higher numbers in people with heart disease. 

    High blood pressure

    Unusual bends, kinks or bleeding from blood vessels in the back of the eye can signal high blood pressure, which affects one in three American adults. High blood pressure is a known risk factor in the onset and/or progression of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and other diseases. Your doctor may notice signs of high blood pressure during a dilated eye exam.

    High cholesterol

    A yellow or blue ring around the cornea may be a sign of high cholesterol, especially in a person younger than age 40. Deposits in the blood vessels of the retina can also indicate elevated cholesterol. This may be the precursor to a life-threatening stroke.

    Lupus

    This inflammatory disease can coincide with dry eyes. Lupus can also cause swelling in the white part of the eye, the middle layer of the eye or the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye.

    Lyme disease

    Lyme disease is an infection spread by ticks, which leads to inflammation throughout the body. Many people with Lyme disease experience inflammation of the optic nerve as well as an increase in floaters at the onset of infection.

    Medication toxicities

    Several drugs may be toxic to the retina and the optic nerve. Symptoms of toxicity include red, scaling eyelids, red eyes, scratchy corneas or conjunctivitis.

    Multiple sclerosis

    Inflammation of the optic nerve can be a harbinger of multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease that affects the nervous system. Often, this inflammation goes hand-in-hand with severely blurred vision, painful eye movement or even double vision.

    Myasthenia gravis

    Myasthenia gravis is an ongoing autoimmune disorder that causes muscles to weaken and tire easily. The first symptoms of this condition often involve the eyes. The most common sign of the disease is drooping eyelids in one or both eyes. Other symptoms include double vision, weakness in the arms or legs, or life-threatening problems with breathing, talking, chewing or swallowing.

    Rheumatoid arthritis

    Ocular signs of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) most commonly include red eyes with deep, severe pain. This symptom can signal scleritis, a painful inflammation of the white part of the eye which requires medical therapy. Many people who have RA also suffer from dry eye. 

    Sarcoidosis

    This inflammatory disease affects multiple organs the body, including the eyes. The most common eye symptom of this disease is iritis, a recurring, painful inflammation of the iris or colored part of the eye. This condition also causes severe light sensitivity.

    Sexually transmitted diseases

    Syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, HIV, gonorrhea, genital warts and pubic lice can all affect layers of the eye. These serious conditions are often detected during an eye exam.

    Sickle cell disease

    People with sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder, develop stiff, comma-shaped red blood cells that can block the flow of blood throughout the body. This disease can cause a huge spectrum of ocular changes, from redness and burst blood vessels on the surface of the eye to severe hemorrhages and even retinal detachment inside the eye.

    Sjögren’s syndrome

    This autoimmune disease causes the body’s white blood cells to attack the glands that make tears and saliva. Unsurprisingly, dry eyes are a key feature of Sjögren’s syndrome. Other symptoms include burning or stinging in the eyes, blurry vision and dry mouth.

    Stroke

    Blood vessels of the retina sometimes contain blockages or clots. These blockages can cause sudden blind spots or give the sense of a “curtain” closing over a person’s vision. These can point to an increased risk for stroke. A loss of side vison may also be a warning of brain damage caused by a previous stroke.

    Thyroid disease

    Protruding eyeballs and retracting eyelids are telltale signs of hyperthyroidism, most commonly caused by Graves’ Disease. This happens when the thyroid gland produces too much or too little hormone. Sometimes this coincides with dry eye, blurry vision or vision loss.

    Vascular disease

    Clotting disorders and bleeding disorders may cause visible bleeding in and around the eye. These are known as subconjuctival hemorrhages. These disorders can also cause retinal hemorrhages that threaten vision. 

    Vitamin A deficiency

    Dry eyes and night blindness are both signs of Vitamin A deficiency. Without enough vitamin A, your eyes cannot produce enough moisture to keep them properly lubricated. Low levels of vitamin A also lead to night blindness, by preventing production of certain pigments needed for your retina to work properly. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children worldwide.

    It’s important to remember that these symptoms don’t guarantee you have a certain health condition. Whenever an eye exam reveals a possible health problem, your ophthalmologist will recommend further testing by a specialist or your primary care provider.

    The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that all adults get a complete eye examination at age 40. This is when early signs of disease or changes in vision may first appear. If you have risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of eye disease, don’t delay — schedule an eye exam at an earlier age.

  • Understanding the Gravity of Diabetes

    It’s easy to take your eyesight for granted.
    Diabetes is the leading cause of vision loss in people 18–64 years old. And there are no obvious signs or symptoms. But the great news is an annual routine eye exam could prevent 95% of vision loss caused by diabetes.

    source: Diabetes.org

    Diabetes is more than just a blood sugar issue; it is a complex metabolic condition that affects multiple organs, including our eyes. High blood sugar levels over an extended period can damage the blood vessels throughout our body, including those in our eyes. Here’s why diabetes should be taken seriously in the context of our vision:

    Diabetic Retinopathy: Diabetes can lead to a condition called diabetic retinopathy, where the tiny blood vessels in the retina become damaged and start to leak. This condition can lead to vision loss and even blindness if left untreated.

    Silent Progression: Diabetic retinopathy often progresses silently in its early stages. One may not experience any noticeable symptoms until the damage is advanced. Regular eye screenings can detect these changes before they become severe.

    Early Detection Is Key: The key to preserving vision when one has diabetes is early detection and timely intervention. When detected in its early stages, diabetic retinopathy can often be managed effectively to prevent further damage.

    Why Annual Eye Screenings Are Essential

    Now that we’ve highlighted the seriousness of diabetes concerning your vision, let’s discuss why annual eye screenings are crucial:

    Early Detection: Regular eye screenings can catch diabetic retinopathy in its early stages when treatment options are most effective. This can prevent or slow down vision loss.

    Preventative Care: By monitoring a patient’s eye health annually, their healthcare team can identify potential issues even before they cause noticeable symptoms. Early intervention can help maintain good vision.

    Comprehensive Assessment: A patient’s primary care provider can perform a comprehensive assessment of your eye health during their annual check-up using the CarePlus program by HealthOcta. This includes imaging their retina, and having those images be read by a qualified eye doctor who can assess the patients eye health and recommend necessary next steps.

    Tailored Recommendations: If any issues are detected during the screening, the results are sent back to the patient’s healthcare provider who can then make personalized recommendations for further evaluation or treatment by a specialist, such as an ophthalmologist.

    In conclusion, diabetes is a serious condition that can pose significant threats to vision. The key to protecting our eyes is early detection through annual eye screenings. By taking this proactive step and managing our diabetes effectively, we can reduce the risk of vision loss and ensure that we continue to enjoy the world in all its beauty.

    Vision is precious – let’s work together to keep our eyes healthy.

  • Benefits of undilated eye exams for retinal eye screenings

    In the realm of preventive healthcare, early detection is often the key to successful intervention.

    This principle holds particularly true when it comes to preserving our precious sense of sight. Retinal complications, such as those arising from diabetes and other chronic disorders, can lead to preventable blindness if left undetected and untreated.

    Fortunately, advances in technology and medical practice have paved the way for more accessible and patient-friendly retinal screenings that can be conducted as part of your annual office visit to your Primary care provider.

    CarePlus by HealthOcta is one such innovation that utilizes undilated eye exams with best of breed, FDA approved non-mydriatic cameras, offering a host of benefits that make them a preferred choice for early detection of retinal disorders. A few of the key benefits are listed below

    Patient Comfort

    Undoubtedly, one of the most significant advantages of undilated eye exams is the enhanced comfort they provide to patients. Traditional dilated eye exams require the use of eye drops to dilate the pupils, resulting in temporary blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and difficulty focusing. These side effects can last for several hours, making it inconvenient for patients to resume their daily activities immediately after the examination. In contrast, undilated eye exams using non-mydriatic cameras do not necessitate pupil dilation, ensuring that patients experience no discomfort and can carry on with their life routines without interruption.

    Convenience and Accessibility

    Retinal screenings are vital for patients with diabetes and other chronic conditions, as they are at a higher risk of developing retinal complications. Undilated eye exams with non-mydriatic cameras are highly convenient and can be performed in primary care settings, eliminating the need for patients to visit specialized eye clinics or undergo extensive preparation. The increased accessibility through the CarePlus program encourages more individuals to undergo regular screenings, ultimately leading to earlier detection and intervention.

    Faster results

    Traditional dilated exams may take longer due to the time required for pupil dilation and subsequent examination. In contrast, undilated retinal screenings are swift and produce results almost immediately. This speed not only reduces patient anxiety but also facilitates timely diagnosis, increased coverage in general practice settings and enables timely eintervention, which can be critical in preventing vision loss.

    Most importanly, the use of non-mydriatic cameras allows for quicker and efficient imaging of the retina.

    Safer for Patients

    Undilated eye exams are also considered safer for patients, particularly those with certain medical conditions or allergies that may react adversely to the eye drops used in dilation. Additionally, undilated exams are suitable for patients of all ages, making them a more versatile and inclusive option for retinal screenings.

    Cost-Effective

    By eliminating the time, expertise and resources required for dilation, undilated retinal screenings with non-mydriatic cameras are a cost-effective alternative. The simplicity and cost-effectiveness of retinal imaging paired with HealthOcta’s technology to transmit and enhance the images for review by a qualified and licensed Ophthalmologist makes the CarePlus screening program a game-changer for healthcare systems. CarePlus enables healthcare providers to to allocate resources more efficiently and to provide screenings to a broader population.

    Increased Patient Compliance

    The discomfort associated with traditional dilated exams can deter some individuals from seeking regular screenings. Undilated eye exams remove this barrier and encourage greater patient compliance . When patients are more comfortable and experience minimal disruption to their daily lives, they are more likely to adhere to recommended annual screening schedules, ultimately improving their long-term eye health.

    In summary, Eye exams with non-mydriatic cameras used by the CarePlus program offer a significant advancement in retinal screenings. The program and technology prioritize patient comfort, convenience, rapid results, safety, and cost-effectiveness, making our workflows a crucial asset in preventing vision loss due to retinal issues. These screenings administered as part of the CarePlus program enhance accessibility and patient compliance, representing a clear choice in our mission to fuse technology & medicine to protect the precious gift of sight.

  • Remote diabetic eye screenings powered by HealthOcta

    Remote diabetic eye screenings powered by HealthOcta

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) continues to be the leading cause of preventable blindness globally
    with a prevalence of 22.27% for any kind of DR, 6.17% for vision-threatening DR (VTDR), and 4.07% for diabetic macular edema (DME) among patients with diabetes. 

    We’ve been receiving a lot of inquiries from our healthcare provider partners to enable diabetic eye screenings for their patients using the Ophthalmology service line within our VideoConsults platform.

    Turns out that the HealthOcta technology platfrom and team are a great fit to help address this existing need and to put a curb on preventable blindness. Digital retinal imaging devices powered by HealthOcta’s technology platform and our panel of Ophthalmologists can enable primary care practices enable a higher standard of eye screenings for their diabetic patient population.

    Better care is about awareness and education

    Offering diabetic eye screenings as part of primary care services can improve patient engagement and satisfaction. Patients appreciate the convenience of receiving comprehensive care in one location, and they are more likely to follow through with recommended screenings when they are easily accessible.

    Regular eye screenings can serve as a reminder for patients to manage their diabetes effectively. When patients see the potential impact of diabetes on their eyes, they may be more motivated to control their blood sugar levels, adhere to medications, and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

    Eye diseases can exist even if you have no symptoms

    Annual eye exams are important for preventing and detecting diabetes-related eye complications. They can help identify problems that can prevent or delay vision loss if treated. Annual eye exams can help providers identify more diseases earlier in patients who might otherwise go untreated. Annual screening can help detect conditions before they exhibit symptoms.

    Diabetics are at a high risk of vision loss

    Diabetics are also at higher risk for cataracts and macular degeneration. Early detection and treatment of these conditions can preserve vision.

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) occurs when the blood vessels inside the eye start to leak blood and fluid into the retina, causing damage and permanent vision loss. Early detection and treatment is crucial for preserving your eyesight.

    Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a complication of diabetic retinopathy, and occurs when the macula, the center of the retina, begins to swell. The macula is responsible for your central and color vision. When the macula swells, it damages the blood vessels, causing them to leak— resulting in vision loss.

    While patients with uncontrolled blood sugar levels have a higher risk of diabetic retinopathy, those with controlled diabetes are still at risk and need to be screened against that risk regularly.

    It is recommended that patients receive annual eye exams for early detection of the disease, and increased optimal treatment results. By regularly monitoring a diabetic patients eye health, you are ensuring that any changes that occur will be detected early, before they can cause any harm.

    Empowering Better Healthcare through Tech+Med

    Despite the benefits stated above, most patients with diabetes do not receive annual eye screening per recommended guidelines. By deploying nonmydriatic cameras like the ones supported by HealthOcta in primary care or laboratory settings, remote retinal imaging technologies can broaden eye-care access and reduce the long-term costs of quality care.

    If you are a primary care practitioner or a opthalmologist or feel passionate about this topic, we would love to hear from you.

    Some eye-opening statistics…