New Hastings Family Care Equipment Alerts Diabetic Patients About Eye Issues
Diabetic patients at Hastings Family Care now have an advantage when it comes to eye health thanks to some new equipment.
The Eyenuk with Eye Art technology — provided by a generous donor through the Mary Lanning Healthcare Foundation — is the only one of its kind between Des Moines and Denver. It allows Hastings Family Care providers to screen patients with diabetes for more-than-mild or vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition that causes vision loss and blindness.
Diabetic retinopathy is the No. 1 cause of blindness in working-age adults.
David Long, MLH Vice President of Clinics, said he is excited about the new technology.
“Patients with diabetes should be screened each year for diabetic retinopathy,” Long said. “Some diabetic patients will have this done at the eye doctor’s office. But others don’t regularly see an eye doctor. This equipment allows us to inform patients of potential problems and refer them as quickly as possible. Early treatment can slow or stop the progression of diabetic retinopathy.”
The Eyenuk with Eye Art is the first FDA-cleared technology of its kind. The equipment allows for a good look at the interior of the eye without the need for dialation.
The procedure is covered by most insurance plans for patients who have a diabetes diagnosis. Hastings Family Care offers the scans anytime for diabetes patients with a regular appointment. The clinic also has specific days when diabetic patients can meet with their provider, see an MLH diabetic educator at the clinic and also receive their annual eye scan.
Some statistics offered by Eyenuk include:
Almost 37 million Americans suffer from diabetes.
Of those, 30 percent suffer from diabetic retinopathy.
About 220,000 Americans are blind due to diabetic retinopathy.