Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt Eye Institute

Eye Imaging Program


For Patients with Diabetes

For your convenience, the Vanderbilt Ophthalmic Imaging Center brings vision screening to you. Our Digital Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy program screens patients in the primary-care offices of their providers with the hope of preventing vision loss.

Diabetic retinopathy is a disease that damages the retinas of people with diabetes. It is a leading cause of adult blindness in the U.S. Many diabetic patients have 20/20 vision and are not aware of the microscopic changes and damage to their retinas. Every day nearly 75 people go blind from it even though treatment is available. Effective treatment slows or stops the advance of retinopathy. The American Diabetes Association, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and other organizations, recommend yearly vision screening for people with diabetes.

The Screening Process

Trained screeners give the test, which takes about 20 minutes to perform. After measuring the patient’s vision, eye drops that cause the eye to dilate for a short time are put in each eye. Next, the patient is given information about diabetes and vision loss. Photos of each eye are taken. These high-resolution digital images are captured on a computer. Patients are given the opportunity to view these images. This helps patients consider useful lifestyle choices to save their vision. After the screening session, the images are sent to the VOIC Reading Center where experts examine the images. They report their findings to the primary care physician. If needed, the physician may arrange for local specialists to examine and treat patients with significant diabetic retinopathy. If no retinopathy is found, the patient is reminded to have another screening in one year.

Testing Sites

The VOIC diabetic retinopathy screening program screens patients where they customarily receive medical care - in internal medicine or primary care clinics. Scanning cameras may be permanently installed in these offices, or VOIC will bring a mobile unit to the office and screen patients by appointment.

In the News

Ophthalmic Imaging Services video
Courtesy of Community Health Network

Contact Us
Vanderbilt Ophthalmic Imaging Center
333 Commerce Street, 2nd Floor TEDC
Nashville, TN 37201
Telephone 615.936.3247
Mobile 615.473.1582
FAX 615.936.1300
Email: lawrence.merin@vanderbilt.edu


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