
This article reports the recent prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular oedema (DME) in American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) served by the Indian Health Services’ (IHS) teleophthalmology program, as identified using ultrawide field imaging (UWFI). This was a retrospective analysis of 2016–2019 clinical data (n = 53,900). Patients averaged 56 years of age with a 68 mmol/mol A1c, and 55% had had diabetes for 5+ years. The AI/AN have a high burden of diabetes and its complications. The IHS is resource-constrained, making accurate disease estimates necessary for resource allocation and budget justifications to Congress. These data update the forecast of diabetic eye disease in Indian Country and suggest that UWFI identifies early DR.
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