Revisiting Diabetes 2000: challenges in establishing nationwide diabetic retinopathy prevention programs.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of the Diabetes 2000 program, an initiative launched by the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 1990 to improve nationwide screening of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and to reduce the prevalence and severity of the condition.

Design: Retrospective, observational case study of Diabetes 2000 program.

Methods: This is a perspective piece with a review of literature and personal opinions.

Challenges to establishing nationwide diabetic retinopathy screening programs.

Purpose Of Review: To review the results of recently published studies on diabetic retinopathy screening.

Recent Findings: Despite numerous public health campaigns and the existence of guidelines designed to promote annual retinal exams for diabetes patients, an unacceptably high number of patients are not screened for diabetic retinopathy. Current findings suggest the need for novel methods to improve compliance with retinal screening exams among diabetes patients to preserve vision functionality in this population.

Retrospective comparison of 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy to 20-gauge vitrectomy for the repair of pseudophakic primary inferior rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Purpose: To compare anatomical and functional outcomes of 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) to standard 20-gauge 3-port PPV for the treatment of pseudophakic rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with inferior breaks.

Methods: Retrospective review of 78 consecutive eyes from 78 patients undergoing primary vitrectomy with a minimum of 3-month follow-up. Thirty patients underwent 25-gauge PPV and 48 patients underwent 20-gauge PPV from May 1993 to July 2008.