Local survey of optometrists about dilated funduscopic examinations for patients with diabetes: making use of phone book yellow-page listings.

The risk of blindness from retinopathy and macular edema is significantly greater in people with diabetes than in the general public. Annual dilated funduscopic examinations are recommended for early detection and treatment before these problems become serious and threaten vision. Yet national health survey data indicate that only about half of patients with diabetes obtain an annual dilated funduscopic examination. This study surveyed optometrists listed in the NYNEX Yellow Pages (for the Bronx, NY) to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to dilated funduscopic examinations for patients with diabetes. Over half of the optometry practices in the survey indicated that dilated funduscopic examinations were available at a relatively modest cost. However, the optometrists reported that less than one fourth of the patients they saw with diabetes had knowledge about the purpose of an annual dilated examination. Optometrists are readily available through yellow-page listings. Their role as primary eye care providers in retinopathy screening may increase with managed care.