The CLEVER Eye Institute Fundus Photography Reading Center
Our Mission:
To provide customized state-of-the-art telemedicine-based screening technology to primary care physicians and other healthcare providers for the identification and grading of diseases visible by retinal pathology, including diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, hypertension, and glaucoma.
Our Goals:
To reduce the incidence of blindness due to microvascular and neurological disorders; to improve access to diabetic retinopathy screening and treatment; and to reduce the overall healthcare costs associated with vision loss.
Why We Care:
More than 285 million people worldwide have Diabetes Mellitus, a disease that alters the blood chemistry and damages the vascular system. When diabetes attacks the blood vessels on the retina at the back of the eye, it produces a specific blinding eye disease known as Diabetic Retinopathy. An estimated 10% of all diabetics are functionally blind because the early signs of diabetic retinopathy were not detected in time to save vision.
In addition to diabetic retinopathy, many other vascular and neurological disorders can be screened or diagnosed by the use of fundus photography, such as glaucoma, hypertension, macular degeneration and the effects of high cholesterol. If left untreated, these disorders can lead to vision loss or functional blindness. We recommend that all patients with health concerns such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol be screened annually for early signs of retinal disorders. We also recommend that all adults over the age of 50 receive annual eye screenings, even if they are in good health. Some blinding diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, are genetically determined, and can arise even when overall health is good.
The CLEVER Eye Institute, in partnership with EyeCare 20/20, has established a fundus photography reading center for detecting and monitoring diabetic retinopathy and other retinal diseases through telemedicine-based fundus photography. We have the equipment and expertise to review patient fundus photographs acquired during patient visits to their primary care doctors. Usually, the acquisition of these photographs is done using automated cameras that require no special training to operate. Photographs are digitially encrypted and immediately sent via a secure Internet connection to the CLEVER facility where they are evaluated by board-certified retinal specialists who are experts in fundus photography reading and disease grading. A report is quickly returned to the primary care physician for follow-up, and if needed, a patient referral to an eye care specialist in their area to begin a course of treatment.
To learn more information about ophthalmic telemedicine and how the CLEVER Eye Institute is using this technology to prevent blindness, click one of the links below.
Regular Screening and Early Detection Prevents Blindness