OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the
efficacy of nonmydriatic digital
retinal images for determining
diabetic retinopathy . MATERIAL AND
METHOD: Single field 45-degree digital
retinal images of 225
eyes from 142 diabetic
patients were obtained with a nonmydriatic camera. The images were diagnosed and graded by a general
ophthalmologist . These results were compared with
clinical diagnosis obtained by
retinal specialists , after examination by using biomicroscope with plus lens and indirect
ophthalmoscope of the
patients . International clinical
diabetic retinopathy disease severity scale was used for grading
diabetic retinopathy in all cases.
RESULTS: Presence of
diabetic retinopathy was detected in 70
eyes (31.1%). The
sensitivity and specificity for determining
diabetic retinopathy was 68.57% (95%CI 57.00-78.20) and 92.25% (95%CI 87.00-95.50), respectively. The
positive predictive value and
negative predictive value was 80.00% (95%CI 68.20-88.20) and 86.67% (95%CI 80.60-91.00). Overall accuracy was 84.89%.
CONCLUSION: Single field 45-degree nonmydriatic digital
retinal images were limited by fair
sensitivity for determining
diabetic retinopathy although overall accuracy from the present study was relatively high. Upcountry, this tool might facilitate increased access of diabetic
patients for
eye evaluation but cannot replace standard
eye examination.