Following expansion of the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment beyond cataract and refractive errors, district-level screening of known diabetics for sight-threatening retinal changes has been incorporated. Which modality is recommended for opportunistic retinal screening of diabetic patients at primary and secondary levels?

• A Direct ophthalmoscopy without dilatation by a general physician
• B Optical coherence tomography at the village health and nutrition day
• C Fluorescein angiography at the vision centre
• D Fundus photography with telemedicine-based grading ✓

Explanation

The NPCBVI model for diabetic retinopathy screening relies on mydriatic fundus photography at peripheral facilities with images graded remotely by trained graders or ophthalmologists through teleophthalmology links, referring sight-threatening disease for laser or anti-VEGF treatment. Undilated direct ophthalmoscopy misses peripheral lesions and has poor sensitivity, fluorescein angiography is impractical outside tertiary centres, and OCT is neither available nor required for population screening.

Reference: Khurana's Comprehensive Ophthalmology, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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