The process takes only a few minutes. However, those images to trained experts at Harris Health System yield vital information about a patient鈥檚 vision. In particular, signs of diabetic retinopathy, as well as other eye problems including macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and retinal pathology. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the U.S., and one of the most common disabilities tied to diabetes.
In 2013, Harris Health became the first healthcare system in Texas to feature a cutting-edge combination screening and software technology to detect diabetic retinopathy. Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems (IRIS) offers an auto-read function that has a better-than-97-percent positive detection rate. However, it鈥檚 techs like Duran who contribute greatly to a successful screening.
鈥淵ou have to take your time and do it right for the ophthalmologist to have good images to examine,鈥� says the four-year Harris Health employee at El Franco Lee Health Center. 鈥淲e take pride in getting the best images and making sure our patients get the best service.鈥�
For Orozco, the eye exam is a relief to find out her vision is healthy.
鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 know that diabetes can affect your eyesight,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad the doctors are able to make sure my vision is doing well.鈥�
Duran and the team of ophthalmology techs at El Franco Lee boast one of the best production rates of readable retinal scans at 99 percent (meaning the quality of scans is near perfect 99 percent of the time). They鈥檙e also first in customer service among the 13 Harris Health screening locations.
IRIS uses software that highlights disease seen in the retina using a computer algorithm to detect suspicious areas鈥攕imilar to how geologists map the earth to drill for oil. Any abnormal image is examined by ophthalmologists and results are available in a few days.
鈥淪ome patients don鈥檛 understand the importance of the screenings and that it takes only a few minutes to get results quickly,鈥� Duran explains. 鈥淎fter we tell them what to expect, they go ahead and get the scans done. We just want them to have good eyesight.鈥�
All people with diabetes 鈥� type 1 and 2 鈥� are at risk. In fact, the longer someone has diabetes, their chance of getting diabetic retinopathy rises between 40-45 percent, according to the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health. Diabetic retinopathy is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
Harris Health treats about 50,000 patients with diabetes. Because diabetic retinopathy can show no symptoms in early stages, doctors recommend people with diabetes get a retinal exam at least once a year. The screening program allows staff to detect disease earlier to prevent vision loss. If detected early, people can have successful treatments including medications, laser and microsurgery that can stop or slow vision loss. Treatments have a higher success rate if treated early, however, there is no cure for diabetic retinopathy.
鈥淲e try to move quickly to serve our patients and make sure they have a good experience,鈥� Duran says of his customer service approach. 鈥淲e also educate them on how to take care of their eyes. If a patient takes our advice and we see them next time and they鈥檙e doing well, it makes us feel happy to know that we鈥檝e helped them take care of themselves.鈥�
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