Newswise — Orlando, FL (April 23, 2018) – Orlando Health Physician Associates is deploying a device that will make it easier than ever for diabetes patients to check their eye health during regular visits to their primary care physicians.
The RetinaVue™ 100 Imager is designed specifically for use in primary care settings to examine for diabetic retinopathy, a condition that affects blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue called the retina that lines the back of the eye. According to the National Eye Institute, retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes and the leading cause of vision impairment and blindness among working-age adults.
All Orlando Health Physician Associates family medicine and internal medicine offices throughout Central Florida will be equipped with RetinaVue 100 Imagers.
“Eye health is an important part of overall health and we’re pleased to be able to make this technology available to our patients with diabetes,” says Linda Zinkovich, chief operations officer for Orlando Health Physician Associates. “Many of our diabetic patients don’t have their eyes examined as often as they should so having RetinaVue in our offices when they come in for regular visits will lead to early detection and effective treatment.”
Manufactured by Welch Allyn®, the RetinaVue 100 Imager is an advanced handheld fundus camera that captures and transmits high-quality retinal images. The exam takes fewer than five minutes to perform and generally does not require chemical dilation for 85 to 90 percent of patients. After the images are taken, they are sent to RetinaVue, P.C., to determine whether diabetic retinopathy is present. The ophthalmologists at RetinaVue, P.C. deliver a comprehensive diagnostic report and referral plan generally within one business day to the primary care provider.
“Welch Allyn is very excited to support Orlando Health in its efforts to preserve vision by increasing access to diabetic retinal exams with RetinaVue Network,” said Alton Shader, President of Front Line Care at Welch Allyn. “Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults, but with early detection 95 percent of vision loss cases can be prevented.”
About Orlando Health Physician Associates
Orlando Health Physician Associates is one of the largest multi-specialty healthcare groups in Central Florida, including more than 100 physicians specializing in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, pediatric gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, and podiatry. Each office is a patient-centered medical home serving all primary care needs for more than 500,000 patients in the region. For more information, visit OrlandoHealth.com/PhysicianAssociates.
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