Are you seeing the full picture?

Specifically, for the care of diabetic patients, diagnostic instruments play an important role in disease detection, monitoring and documentation. Technology advancements The CLARUS 500 from Zeiss is a new ultra-widefield (UWF) fundus camera that takes high resolution photos in true colour, permitting accurate assessment of the fundus.

 

Recent studies have shown peripheral diabetic retinopathy to be associated with faster rates of disease progression. These studies also revealed that many diabetic patients have retinopathy located primarily outside the traditional ETDRS fields.

 

These findings point to the importance of evaluating the peripheral retina in diabetic patients. ZEISS CLARUS 500 retains the same image quality as traditional fundus photos, with 7-micron resolution and true colour, while increasing the fi eld of view significantly, making it a valuable tool for diabetic eye exams.

 

It is important to remember that patients with diabetes often have many comorbidities, and that a comprehensive evaluation of ocular health is essential.

 

Hypertension, dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular disease are all common comorbidities that can present with ocular manifestations. In addition, studies have found that diabetes is associated with a significantly higher risk of primary open angle glaucoma. The excellent resolution and colour of CLARUS images allow clear visualisation of diabetic retinopathy, as well as the optic disc and macula in a single image for the comprehensive evaluation of the entire retina.

 

While the disease burden of diabetes continues to increase, advancements in diagnostic technology is allowing clinicians to gain efficiency, while preserving quality of care. The CLARUS 500, used together with optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology, enables a comprehensive view of the patient’s eye health.

 

Precise evaluation

OCT has become the gold standard for visualising diabetic macular oedema. By acquiring volumetric data, OCT enables visualisation of separate retinal layers, allowing clinicians to pinpoint the exact location of disease. Retinal thickness measurements also allow for more precise evaluation of the retina.

 

More recently, OCT angiography (OCTA), which processes OCT data to isolate movement in the retina, has enabled visualisation of retinal vasculature without the need for contrast dye. OCTA has enabled clinicians to visualise retinal ischemia associated with diabetes, which can develop before any visible signs of retinopathy.

 

By combining both UWF imaging and OCT technologies into clinical practice, eye care providers can be more efficient, diagnose and manage disease earlier and with more confidence, and ultimately improve clinical outcomes.