Alexander L J, Duenas M R
Retina Associates PSC, Louisville, KY 40202.
J Am Optom Assoc. 1994 Aug;65(8):552-8.
More than 14 million Americans are suspected of having diabetes with fewer than half of those currently diagnosed. Diabetes is the number one cause of new cases of blindness in persons 20-74 years of age.
This study was performed in the state of Florida to determine both the accessibility of eye care as well as the similarities and differences in the practice behavior patterns of optometrists and ophthalmologists for patients with diabetes.
The results of two surveys sent to both the Florida Society of Ophthalmology and the Florida Optometric Association by the Florida Diabetes Retinopathy Task Force (FDRTF) were analyzed. The results indicated better accessibility for diabetics to optometrists (81 percent of counties) than ophthalmologists (55 percent of counties). In addition, the results demonstrated strong similarities in practice patterns between the two professions. The results also indicate that primary care medical doctors do not routinely take advantage of the practicing optometrist for the examination of the diabetic patients in their practices.
The poor utilization of the primary care optometrist creates a gap in the health care delivery for the patient with diabetes. This gap may contribute to the increase in the complication of diabetic retinopathy.
超过1400万美国人被怀疑患有糖尿病，但目前确诊的人数不到其中的一半。糖尿病是20至74岁人群失明新病例的首要原因。
本研究在佛罗里达州进行，旨在确定糖尿病患者的眼部护理可及性，以及验光师和眼科医生在糖尿病患者诊疗行为模式上的异同。
分析了佛罗里达糖尿病视网膜病变特别工作组（FDRTF）向佛罗里达眼科协会和佛罗里达验光师协会发送的两份调查问卷的结果。结果表明，糖尿病患者看验光师（81%的县有验光师）比看眼科医生（55%的县有眼科医生）更容易。此外，结果显示这两个专业在诊疗模式上有很强的相似性。结果还表明，初级保健医生在其诊疗工作中，通常不会利用执业验光师对糖尿病患者进行检查。
初级保健验光师的利用率低，造成了糖尿病患者医疗服务的缺口。这一缺口可能会导致糖尿病视网膜病变并发症的增加。
