Diabetes: Eye Exam

Percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes who had a retinal or dilated eye exam by an eye care professional during the measurement period or a negative retinal exam (no evidence of retinopathy) in the 12 months prior to the measurement period

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As the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., diabetes kills approximately 75,000 people a year (CDC FastStats 2015). Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high blood glucose levels, resulting from the body's inability to produce or use insulin (CDC Statistics 2014, ADA Basics 2013). People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation of toes, feet or legs, and premature death. (CDC Fact Sheet 2014). 

In 2012, diabetes cost the U.S. an estimated $245 billion: $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in reduced productivity. This is a 41 percent increase from the estimated $174 billion spent on diabetes in 2007 (ADA Economic 2013).  

In 2005-2008, of adults with diabetes aged 40 years or older, 4.2 million (28.5%) people had diabetic retinopathy, damage to the small blood vessels in the retina that may result in loss of vision. (CDC Statistics, 2014).

American Diabetes Association (ADA) (2015): 

- Adults with type 1 diabetes should have an initial dilated and comprehensive eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist within 5 years after the onset of diabetes. (Level of evidence: B)

- Patients with type 2 diabetes should have an initial dilated and comprehensive eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist shortly after the diagnosis of diabetes. (Level of evidence: B)

Higher score indicates better quality

American Diabetes Association. Microvascular complications and foot care. Sec. 9. In Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes 2015. Diabetes Care 2015;38(Suppl. 1):S58-S66

American Diabetes Association. 2009. "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2009." Diabetes Care 2009 32 (Suppl 1):S6-S12. doi:10.2337/dc09-S006.

American Diabetes Association. 2013. Diabetes Basics. www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/?loc=GlobalNavDB

American Diabetes Association (ADA). April 2013. Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2012. Diabetes Care. Vol. 36 no. 4 1033-46. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/36/4/1033.full

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2014. National Diabetes Statistics Report. 
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pdfs/data/2014-report-estimates-of-diabetes-and-its-burden-in-the-united-states.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2015. FastStats: Deaths and Mortality. www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014. CDC Features. Diabetes Latest. www.cdc.gov/features/diabetesfactsheet/.

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Only patients with a diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes should be included in the denominator of this measure; patients with a diagnosis of secondary diabetes due to another condition should not be included.

The eye exam must be performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

TBD

Patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes with a visit during the measurement period

Equals Initial Population

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Patients with an eye screening for diabetic retinal disease. This includes diabetics who had one of the following:
A retinal or dilated eye exam by an eye care professional in the measurement period or a negative retinal exam (no evidence of retinopathy) by an eye care professional in the year prior to the measurement period

Not Applicable

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For every patient evaluated by this measure also identify payer, race, ethnicity and sex

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