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Patients with type 2 diabetes (NIDDM) attending the Primary Care Centre in Mölnlycke, Sweden, were evaluated regarding their metabolic status, microalbuminuria (UAER), and hypertension. An ophthalmological examination was performed, and two diagnostic methods, slit-lamp biomicroscopy and fundus photography, were compared. Nearly half the patients (42%) had diabetic retinopathy, mainly of the background type. Retinopathy was associated only with the duration of the disease, but the prevalence was as high as 20% within 0-4 years of the diagnosis. Fundus photography was easy to apply, except in the age groups above 80 years, in otherwise healthy and mentally cooperative patients. Fundus photography could not be applied in only 7% of the patients for ophthalmological reasons. The prevalence of microalbuminuria (20-200 micrograms/min) was high--34%--with another 8% above that range. Male sex, mode of antidiabetic treatment, and hypertension were associated with an increased UAER. Screening for retinopathy and microalbuminuria is valuable in primary health care in order to detect treatable diabetic retinopathy and to trace patients with microalbuminuria, a risk factor for clinically overt nephropathy as well as for cardiovascular diseases.

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The efficiency of two non-stereo photographs of the posterior pole as a screening device in long-term follow-up for the detection of proliferative diabetic retinopathy was evaluated in a clinical setting among 1341 diabetic hospital patients. False positive findings occurred in 0.4% (6/1341). Severe irreversible sight-threatening complications from undetected proliferative diabetic retinopathy, such as retinal traction detachment or secondary glaucoma, never occurred. Vitreous haemorrhages due to missed new vessels in the photographic area occurred in only 2 out of 3020 photographic reading sessions over a 5.5 year period. Evaluation of the nature, localization and magnitude of new vessels showed that optic disc new vessels were generally over-diagnosed in younger patients and missed in patients aged 45 years or older. New vessels elsewhere were more frequently misdiagnosed in patients older than 50 years. New vessels were most commonly found on the temporal arcades (48%) of the eyes and nasal to the optic disc (42%) but were significantly rare beyond the posterior pole (13%) (P less than 0.001). Patients younger than 60 years had significantly more lesions (P less than 0.001) and these lesions tended to be bilateral. Two non-stereo photographs of the posterior pole is a safe and efficient alternative method to conventional survey for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. New vessels are significantly most common in the posterior pole and complications from new vessels occurring exclusively outside the posterior pole can be disregarded. Bilateral neovascularization should be anticipated in patients under 60 years.

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The spectrum of diabetic retinopathy, the need for fundus screening and the evaluation of two presumptive screening methods, was investigated in a population based study among patients with type II diabetes. Retinal evaluation was performed in 86.9% of the known diabetic population. Background diabetic retinopathy was detected in 37.8%, pre-proliferative in 1.1% and proliferative retinopathy in 3.8%. Diabetic maculopathy was found in 24.3% of the patients. Laser therapy was considered in 11.4% of the patients due to diabetic retinopathy, and in 14.6% when venous occlusive diseases were included. Two methods, a slit-lamp observation enhanced by a 60D lens and reading from two non-stereo photographs of the posterior pole, were evaluated among 154 patients willing and mentally capable of being examined by either method. The sensitivity of the photographic method was 87/97% (right eye/left eye) when detecting background retinopathy and 81/80% for maculopathy versus 69/61% and 79/63%, respectively, with the slit-lamp method. The photographic method could be applied in 93% of the patients mentally capable of cooperation. Only 5 or 6 patients could be examined per hour with the 60D slit-lamp compared with 30-35 examined by reading retinal photographs. The photographic method is recommended as an easy and reliable screening device for diabetic retinopathy among patients with type II diabetes.

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135 patients treated with panretinal photocoagulation for proliferative diabetic retinopathy were examined in order to detect 7 specific fibrovascular lesions after treatment. Two presumptive methods for long-term follow-up were evaluated and compared, i.e. slit-lamp biomicroscopy enhanced by a 60 D lens and reading from two non-stereo photographs of the posterior pole. Two observers repeated their examinations with respective methods. Comparison of the methods with respect to detecting ability of the fibrovascular lesions showed no significant disagreement except in some eyes with fibrous tissue on the optic disc where new vessels were better detected with the slit-lamp method (P less than 0.001). There was no difference between the methods with respect to the intra- and inter-observer variability. Twenty to 30 patients could be diagnosed per hour with the photographic method compared to 5-6 patients with the slit-lamp. Two non-stereo photographs of the posterior pole can be recommended as a safe and time-saving method for objective documentation and long-time follow-up after panretinal photocoagulation for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

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A new sorting test requires only two minutes for quantitative estimation of saturation thresholds for bluish pigment colors. The test is highly sensitive to and specific for differences between normal subjects and individuals with acquired color vision defects. When combined with Ishihara's pseudo-isochromatic plates, it discriminates between congenital and acquired dyschromatopsias and identifies subjects with combined defects.

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