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How updated ICO guidelines impact patients' diabetic eye care

Cutters or scissors for PDR?

Uveitis does not have to be vexing. Here are some basic principles to make it easier for ophthalmologists to identify the disorder, says James Philip Dunn Jr., MD

Pearls for better uveitis workups

OCTA provides better view of acute anterior uveitis

Retina World Congress 2025 will take place May 8-11. As researchers prepare for their, presentation, we are highlighting the upcoming sessions that are scheduled for this meeting, which will be held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Note: The following list of presentations are in alphabetical order by company. Updates will be added to this article as new information becomes available.

The company highlight Phase 2 results for migaldendranib (MGB), Ashvattha’s investigational subcutaneous treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME). The presentation, entitled, "Emerging Data om Anti-angiogenic Nanomedicine (Migaldendranib MGB/D-4517.2) for AMD and DME" will be given by Michael Singer, MD on Sunday, May 11, 2025; 11:11 – 11:16 am ET.

Phase 2 clinical data demonstrated that MGB administration lowered production of subretinal fluid reducing or eliminating the need for intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment in both the study eye and fellow eye in wet AMD and DME subjects with bilateral disease. New data indicates that MGB may be the first safe systemic therapy for the treatment of wet AMD and DME without ocular adverse events.

Huma Qamar, Chief Medical Officer at Ocugen will represent Ocugen at Retina World Congress to share a presentation and join retinal surgeons and industry peers during a panel discussion.

Inherited and Rare Retinal Diseases Session
Moderated by Rishi P. Singh, MD, FASRS and Kourous A. Rezaei, MD on Thursday, May 8, 2025, 10:35 – 11:12 AM ET

Ocular Therapeutix will present information at the meeting in Fort Lauderdale regarding the axitinib intravitreal hydrogel clinical trials, the use of its candidate OTX-TKI for diabetic retinopathy, and the HELIOS clinical trial for diabetic retinopathy.

Axitinib Intravitreal Hydrogel: Update on Clinical Trials

Presented by Carl C. Awh, MD, FASRS, on Friday, May 9, 2025, 4:33 – 4:38 PM ET.

Presented by Dilsher S. Dhoot, MD, FASRS on Saturday, May 10, 2025, 8:44 – 8:49 AM ET

Volumetric Macular Fluid Analysis of the Impact of a Single Axitinib Intravitreal Injection (OTX-TKI) from the HELIOS Clinical Trial for Diabetic Retinopathy

Presented by Carl J. Danzig, MD on Saturday, May 10, 2025, 8:52 – 8:57 AM ET

The company will present further insights from Stage 1 of the Phase 3 DIAMOND program reinforcing the efficacy and safety profile of OCS-01 eye drops for DME will also be shared. OCS-01 is being developed to be the first non-invasive treatment for DME, addressing key unmet needs for earlier treatment intervention and for inadequate responders to the current standard of care.

Ashvattha Therapeutics to Present at ARVO, Retina World Congress, and AOS Annual Meeting. Ashvattha Therapeutics. April 15, 2025. Accessed April 16, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/04/15/3061682/0/en/Ashvattha-Therapeutics-to-Present-at-ARVO-Retina-World-Congress-and-AOS-Annual-Meeting.html

Ocugen to Present on Modifier Gene Therapy Platform at Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology 2025 Annual Meeting and Retina World Congress. Ocugen Inc. April 29, 2025. Accessed April 30, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/04/29/3070074/0/en/Ocugen-to-Present-on-Modifier-Gene-Therapy-Platform-at-Association-for-Research-in-Vision-and-Ophthalmology-2025-Annual-Meeting-and-Retina-World-Congress.html

Ocular Therapeutix™ to Participate in Upcoming Investor and Scientific Conferences. Ocular Therapeutix. April 29, 2025. Accessed April 29, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/04/29/3070022/0/en/Ocular-Therapeutix-to-Participate-in-Upcoming-Investor-and-Scientific-Conferences.html

Oculis to Present its Innovative Late-Stage Pipeline Candidates at Upcoming Ophthalmology Conferences. Oculis Holding AG. May 1, 2025. Accessed May 1, 2025. https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/oculis-to-present-its-innovative-late-stage-pipeline-candidates-at-upcoming-ophthalmology-conferences

Companies working in the retina space have announced that data from clinical trials will be shared at this year’s meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

RWC 2025: Companies to share data at meeting in Fort Lauderdale

Andrew J. Barkmeier, MD, is an associate professor of ophthalmology, vitreoretinal surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. At the 2025 ASRS meeting, held in Long Beach, California, Barkmeier presented research on GLP-1 medications and diabetic retinopathy risk. 

While the SUSTAIN-6 trial showed increased diabetic retinopathy complications with semaglutide, his real-world study of various GLP-1 medications found no differences in diabetic macular edema or proliferative diabetic retinopathy treatment risks between medications. The findings were reassuring, particularly for semaglutide users, and didn't replicate the SUSTAIN-6 results, allowing patients and prescribers to choose medications without diabetic retinopathy concerns.

Note: The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.

At this meeting, you are presenting data on GLP-1 medications. What questions did this research try to answer?

As we all know, these GLP-1 medications are incredibly impactful and powerful medications that more and more patients with type 2 diabetes are using, and we've got a wealth of evidence showing that they have cardiovascular benefits and benefits to kidneys, and as a result, the uptake of these is rapidly rising. So, although many of the cardiovascular outcome trials, including the SUSTAIN-6 trial looking at semaglutide, found that they had these significant cardiovascular benefits, the semaglutide trial also showed that there was an increased risk of diabetic retinopathy complications. This was found in the context of rapid lowering of hemoglobin A

and weight loss. So it's unclear whether this was a medication-specific effect or just related to the significant systemic improvements, as we've seen in some prior studies such as the DCCT. So, although there are many medications available and they have different systemic effects, we didn't know if this was something that we would see in the real-world population, because the cardiovascular outcome trials looked at a specific subset of patients over a short amount of time with high cardiovascular risk. 

So our study looks at a more generalizable population of people who received different GLP-1 medications in routine clinical practice. So we looked to see if there was any difference in the risk of diabetic retinopathy outcomes, such as treatment for diabetic macula edema or proliferative diabetic retinopathy. So the good news in this study, we found no differences between any of the GLP-1 medications in the risk of treatment for diabetic macula edema or proliferative diabetic retinopathy, which is very reassuring, particularly because semaglutide is one of the most commonly prescribed medications, and we did not replicate the results from the SUSTAIN-6 trial that showed an increased risk of diabetic retinopathy complications relative to any of the other medications. So from our perspective, this offers some reassurance to patients receiving these medications and people prescribing these medications, that they can choose the best medication, regardless of potential or theoretic risk of increased diabetic retinopathy complications.

Research reveals that GLP-1 medications, including semaglutide, do not increase diabetic retinopathy risks, offering reassurance for patients and prescribers.

clinical

Q&A: Andrew J. Barkmeier, MD, on the risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy with GLP-1 RA use

Just as we never shake loose certain axioms of surgery we learned in fellowship (I can still hear my preceptors’ voices during some procedures), we sometimes rely on tried-and-true tools we first encountered during our training. Although these instruments may not represent the most recent innovations, we should view their age as a feature rather than a bug, as their longevity testifies to their effectiveness and trustworthiness.

In my operating room (OR), one such instrument is the Tano Diamond Dusted Membrane Scraper (Bausch + Lomb; herein called the Tano). The Tano comes in retractable 23- and 25-gauge options and nonretractable 20-, 23-, 25-, and 27-gauge options. This instrument, first introduced to me in a surgical fellowship, remains a go-to tool in my armamentarium.

Some younger surgeons might think of the Tano as an instrument of yore: something surgeons used in a past era but not something suitable for a modern OR. In my experience, this is not the case. The Tano remains a reliable tool for experienced and novice surgeons alike. Of course, it must be used in the proper context to be valuable in a surgeon’s hands. To that end, let’s explore when and how not to use the Tano as well as when and how to use it.

My experience and comfort with the Tano underpin my instinct to reach for it in specific cases, and its tendency to produce repeatable and predictable results reinforces my belief that this instrument is worth keeping on my tray. I turn to the Tano in cases of internal limiting membrane (ILM) or epiretinal membrane (ERM) peels in the context of retinal detachment (RD) secondary to macular hole (MH). It is often difficult to spot an ILM or ERM edge to grasp prior to peeling in these cases, which is where the Tano comes in handy.

To address this challenge, I first stain with TissueBlue (DORC/Zeiss). Then, using the Tano, I scrape outwardly from the center of the ILM toward, but not touching, the fovea, employing a spokes-on-a-wheel pattern with the Tano to create enough disruption to the membrane’s integrity such that a graspable rough edge might appear. After restaining, which is needed so that I may properly visualize the edge I created, I identify an edge large and sturdy enough to grasp, initiate peeling, and proceed with MH closure and RD repair. I use this same technique for membrane peels in the setting of macula-off RDs if the pinch-and-peel technique is not allowing me to find a flap to grab.

Remember, in these cases, the retina is mobile, and surgeons want reassurance that they are peeling only the ILM or ERM and not causing iatrogenic damage along the way (

). Approaching a membrane peel with a Tano as described above makes me confident that I am addressing the correct tissue, removing as much as possible, and not risking further damage.

My use of the Tano to create membrane flaps is not limited to cases of RD secondary to MH or cases of macula-off RD. I sometimes use the Tano to scrape a membrane in routine cases where a graspable membrane flap does not obviously present.

I find that in cases that do not include the macula, the Tano offers little use. Take, for instance, rhegmatogenous RD (RRD) repair. My typical instrumentation lineup sufficiently addresses the anatomy in an RRD repair, and including the Tano in my instrument tray would only add clutter.

Some surgeons may find that using the Tano for membrane flap creation, as described previously, is less useful as they become more comfortable with pinch-and-peel approaches. This is very reasonable and a natural progression with time. Although we may reach for the Tano less as we become more experienced, it is still a helpful tool to have on hand for those difficult cases.

When surgeons should exercise experience-based judgment

There are many cases in which I consider the Tano a “sometimes” option. That is, depending on the circumstances, I might use the Tano to achieve a surgical goal.

Patients who need reoperation for chronic large MH often present without ILM due to prior extensive ILM peeling, which means that surgeons have no easily accessible autologous tissue with which to plug the MH or create an ILM flap. In this case, I could use the Tano to reduce tissue rigidity, restricting MH closure by addressing the area immediately around the MH, brushing from the outermost region toward the MH itself, and thereby loosening subretinal adhesions to facilitate MH closure (

). There are, of course, other tactics employed in the closure of large MHs. Surgeons should defer to their expertise and judgment on which approach works best for that particular patient.

This same approach that I use for peeling ILMs or ERMs in the context of MH-related RDs may be applied to diabetic membrane peeling or RD repair secondary to proliferative vitreoretinopathy. In these cases, a surgeon could brush the membrane with the Tano to see whether any distinction can be made between the layered tissues. The Tano can help make differentiation among tissue planes, helping to perform surgery more safely in these challenging cases. Conversely to using the Tano, surgeons might opt to use a cutter in these cases, and that is perfectly fine. In fact, I often use the cutter in these cases myself. Still, having the Tano available comes in handy when, in my estimation, an approach with the cutter is unsafe or ineffective.

Surgeons value optionality. Knowing that a possible solution to a surgical question sits on our instrument tray lets us operate with confidence. The Tano can be nice to have in your lineup of typical instruments and can increase your range of choices when encountering pesky membranes or challenging anatomic anomalies.

Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida, multiple locations

Financial disclosures: honoraria (Bausch + Lomb, Gyroscope Therapeutics), consultant (Alimera Sciences Inc, Genentech), speaker (Genentech, Heidelberg Engineering).

Revisiting a classic tool that still gets you out of a jam works best when you understand its powers and limitations.

Knowing when the diamond-dusted membrane scraper is (and isn’t) the right tool

The European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) is preparing for its 2025 Congress, which will be held in Paris, France. This year marks a significant anniversary, as EURETINA celebrates 25 years. The event kicks off on September 3 with the EURETINA Innovation Spotlight (EIS). The official EURETINA Congress, including the scientific program and anniversary festivities, runs from September 4 through 7 at Le Palais des Congrès.

In a letter on the organization’s website, Anat Loewenstein, MD, president of EURETINA, invited readers to celebrate the “momentous” achievement.

“I am thrilled to welcome you to the 25th Euretina Congress, set against the vibrant backdrop of Paris,” Loewenstein wrote. “As we gather in this historic city, we celebrate our ongoing commitment to advancing the field of retinal science.”

She noted a 25% increase in abstract submissions for the 2025 Congress, highlighting a growing interest and engagement in the field of retina. EURETINA leadership expects over 10,000 international attendees at this year’s meeting, the largest in the society’s history.

“The 2025 Congress will not only reflect on our achievements over the past 25 years but will also focus on the evolving challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in our field,” Loewenstein continued. “With a diverse selection of sessions, courses, and symposia led by distinguished experts, we are committed to providing a platform for continuous learning and exchange of knowledge.”

The highlight of the scientific program is the EURETINA session series. These symposia, chaired by surgical and medical retina leaders, feature global experts invited to present on select topics. The EURETINA sessions featured in this year's highlights include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema (DME), therapies for inherited retinal disorders, artificial intelligence (AI), nonexudative and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), myopia, next-generation drug delivery methods, ocular infections, imaging, and vitreoretinal surgery. A joint session between EURETINA and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), called "anterior meets posterior," will be chaired by Loewenstein and Burkhard Dick, MD, secretary of the ESCRS. Other EURETINA sessions include first-time clinical trial results, Congress highlights, and late-breaking trial results.

Other educational sessions, including podium presentations, Speaker's Corner lectures, free papers, poster presentations, instructional courses, and symposia on various topics, will fill the Congress weekend. The full scientific program is

When is the EURETINA Innovation Spotlight?

This year, the meeting will be preceded by the third annual Euretina Innovation Spotlight (EIS). Loewenstein described the EIS as “a dynamic event that fosters innovation and collaboration among our community of physicians, regulators, and investors.” Also at the Palais des Congrès Paris, the 6-hour event on September 3 features lectures and panel discussions from industry leaders, regulatory authorities, and ophthalmic investors. There will be exclusive networking events at the EIS, intended to foster innovation and collaboration from all stakeholders in the retinal space. For 2025, the EURETINA executive team and board introduce a quick-fire session dedicated to emerging biotech companies.

Interested parties may contact registration@euretina.org for EIS registration information.

Who is delivering the keynote address at EURETINA 2025?

Four keynote lectures will take place during the course of the EURETINA Congress.

, will deliver the EURETINA Lecture. Titled "AI and AMD: How new tools change understanding, diagnosis, and management of disease," the lecture will be delivered at 16:15 CEST on Thursday, September 4.

On Saturday, September 6, there will be 3 keynote sessions in the early evening.

will deliver the Kreissig Award lecture, "Throwing away wisdom: How we abandon what works," at 14:15 CEST.

 will present the Gisbert Richard lecture, "Removal of intraocular foreign bodies: Why, when, how?" at 14:45 CEST.

 will deliver the Ophthalmologica lecture, "Connecting the dots: Rethinking white dot syndromes," at 15:30 CEST.

Speaker profiles and details on presentation locations 

Which companies are sponsoring satellite symposia at EURETINA?

During each day of the meeting, industry-sponsored satellite symposia will provide additional opportunities for specialized education. Topics are wide-ranging and include management of retinal vein occlusion and diabetic macular edema, current trends and innovations in the imaging sphere, advances in retinal laser treatment, insights from clinical trial results, instructional presentations for new technologies, and more.

Sponsors for the satellite symposia include: 4DMT, AbbVie, Alcon, Amgen, Astellas, Bayer, Canon Medical, the EURETINA Education Platform, Espansione Group, EssilorLuxottica, Heidelberg Engineering, iCare, LumiThera, Lumibird Medical, Micro Clear, Nidek Ocular Therapeutics, the Ophthalmology Research Company (ORA), Optos, Roche, TowardPi, and ZEISS Medical Technology. A full schedule of 

EURETINA satellite symposia is available here.

Late registration (for in-person and online attendees) is available through September 3 

On-site registration will be available, at a higher price point, beginning September 4.

25th EURETINA Congress. European Society of Retina Specialists. Accessed August 25, 2025. https://euretina.org/

Retina specialists will celebrate the major anniversary this September in Paris, France.

EURETINA marks a milestone with 25th annual Congress

A recent study identified a large disconnect between patients with neovascular 

 who are treated with intravitreal injections. The survey results highlighted the significant treatment burden experienced by these patients and the need for targeted education and counseling to improve their satisfaction and outcomes.

 Katie Robinson, PhD, CHCP, and colleagues reported their findings in 

. She is from the Office of Medical Affairs, Vindico Medical Education, Thorofare, NJ.

“From the patient perspective, the burden of anti–vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] treatment extends beyond the clinical setting,” the investigators stated.

These “logistical challenges” to the regular visits include barriers to transportation, absenteeism from work, the need for a caregiver,

 adverse effects in approximately 50% of patients from the injections that require time off from daily activities and work to recover,

 and significant fear and anxiety related to the injection procedure.

 Additional emotional and psychological factors include fear of vision loss, depression, and anxiety about long-term disease management.

In some cases, patients may need psychotherapy, support groups, or services for those with low vision.

 They also may experience a financial strain associated with the direct and indirect costs of their care.

Patients reported dissatisfaction with the injection frequency and the cumulative toll of ongoing treatment for AMD and DME.

 “These factors, combined with the physical discomfort and anxiety around the injection procedure itself, contribute to a multidimensional disease burden,”² the investigators said.

On the flip side, physicians can underestimate the effects of these conditions on patient quality of life,

 barriers that can result in nonadherence and undertreatment, contributing to suboptimal patient outcomes that are observed in real-world studies compared with clinical trials.

Robinson and colleagues undertook this survey study to determine how patients with neovascular AMD or DME perceive their disease and its treatment and assess the degree of alignment between patient and clinician perceptions.

To that end, they developed 3 surveys: one tailored for patients with DME, one for patients with neovascular AMD, and one for clinicians who injected anti-VEGF agents. The surveys were completed by 101 patients (50 with AMD and 51 with neovascular AMD) and 100 ophthalmologists who treat these conditions.

What were the survey results of the patients with AMD and DME?

The investigators reported the following key points

Sixty-six percent and 86% of patients with DME and neovascular AMD, respectively, reported receiving intravitreal injections at least once every 8 weeks.

Eight-two percent required a caregiver and/or public transportation to get to their appointments.

Vision loss over time and blurred or double vision were the most significant symptoms for patients with DME, and for those with neovascular AMD, poor night vision, seeing in low-light conditions, and blurred vision.

Dissatisfaction levels with education and counseling about their disease were higher for those with neovascular AMD (31%), compared with those with DME (11%; 

Ophthalmologists overestimated the extent to which patients perceived that injections were necessary and that patients experienced insurance barriers to receiving treatment (

They also overestimated the extent to which patients became less nervous with subsequent injections after the first injection and underestimated their difficulty of getting to appointments (

Robinson and colleagues concluded, “The findings of this survey study call attention to key barriers to effective treatment for patients and critical areas where patient and clinician perceptions of disease and treatment burdens are misaligned. Overall, these results underscore the large burden that patients face in undergoing treatment for neovascular AMD and DME. In the future, therapy that provides greater durability, fewer injections, and fewer clinic visits can help reduce the burden for patients, improve adherence, and facilitate better overall patient outcomes. Furthermore, optimal treatment will require greater understanding and communication between patients and clinicians.”

Robinson K, Cooper SJ, Persaud S, Frederick JL, Singh RP. Discordance among patients and ophthalmologists regarding the burden of intravitreal injections. 

Holekamp N, Gentile B, Giocanti-Aurégan A, et al. Patient experience survey of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. 

. 2024;67(1):311-321. doi:10.1159/000538975

Müller S, Junker S, Wilke T, et al. Questionnaire for the assessment of adherence barriers of intravitreal therapy: the ABQ-IVT. 

. 2021;7(1):43. doi:10.1186/s40942-021-00311-x

Reitan G, Haugen IBK, Andersen K, Bragadottir R, Bindesbøll C. Through the eyes of patients: understanding treatment burden of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections for nAMD patients in Norway. 

 2023;17:1465-1474. doi:10.2147/opth.S409103

Jamous KF, Jalbert I, Kalloniatis M, Boon MY. Australian optometric and ophthalmologic referral pathways for people with age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. 

. 2014;97(3):248-255. doi:10.1111/cxo.12119

Mitchell P, Liew G, Gopinath B, Wong TY. Age-related macular degeneration. 

. 2018;392(10153):1147-1159. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(18)31550-2

McClard CK, Wang R, Windham V, et al. Questionnaire to assess life impact of treatment by intravitreal injections (QUALITII): development of a patient-reported measure to assess treatment burden of repeat intravitreal injections. 

. 2021;6(1):e000669. doi:10.1136/bmjophth-2020-000669

Stein JD, Brown MM, Brown GC, Hollands H, Sharma S. Quality of life with macular degeneration: perceptions of patients, clinicians, and community members. 

. 2003;87(1):8-12. doi:10.1136/bjo.87.1.8

Robinson K, Cooper S, Persaud S, Singh R. Identifying discordance among patients and clinicians regarding the burden of intravitreal injections. Presented at: Retina World Congress 2025; May 8-11, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, FL. 

Polat O, İnan S, Özcan S, et al. Factors affecting compliance to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Turk J Ophthalmol. 2017;47(4):205-210. doi:10.4274/tjo.28003

Kuo BL, Tabano D, Garmo V, et al. Long-term treatment patterns for diabetic macular edema: up to 6-year follow-up in the IRIS Registry. 

. 2024;8(11):1074-1082. doi:10.1016/j.oret.2024.05.017

A study reveals significant treatment burdens for patients with AMD and DME, highlighting the need for improved education and support to enhance outcomes.

Canonical

An eye on how patients perceive their retinal disease

Sally S. Ong, MD, presented research on how neighborhood social determinants affect patients with tractional retinal detachments (TRDs) from proliferative diabetic retinopathy at the 2025 American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) Annual Scientific Meeting. 

Researchers found that patients from areas with higher mobile home prevalence, minority populations, limited vehicle access, and housing cost burden had more severe disease and worse follow-up rates. Patients from neighborhoods with higher disability rates experienced longer surgical delays. Ong recommended that retina specialists consider these factors and connect patients with social workers to improve care access.

: What data did you present at ASRS 2025?

In this presentation, we were looking at associations between neighborhood level social determinants of health with a patient's likelihood of presenting with more severe disease or loss to follow-up, specifically in those patients with tractional retinal detachments associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In this study, we looked at multiple neighborhood-level social determinants of health and their association with baseline severity and loss to follow-up in patients with tractional retinal detachments related to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. 

Our key findings are that patients who live in neighborhoods with greater mobile home prevalence had higher rates of presenting with foveal involving TRD. And those patients who lived in neighborhoods with again, higher mobile home prevalence, higher proportions of minority status, lack of access to vehicles, and increased household cost burden, defined as spending more than 30% of income on housing. Those patients had higher odds of being lost to follow-up, never returning for follow-up, or having longer durations of follow-up. Lastly, we found that for patients who lived in neighborhoods with more people reporting disability status, these patients had higher odds of having longer periods of time between the decision to have surgery and actually having the surgical repair itself. I think these data show us that neighborhood-level social determinants of health really do influence the severity of the disease when a patient comes to you with tractional retinal detachment related to PDR. On top of that, these factors also influence the likelihood of a patient returning for follow-up, and how long it takes before they come back for follow-up. And as well as you know the time when you decide to put a patient on your OR schedule and when they're actually able to have that surgery. We all know from practice that even if you decide to have patient under go surgery and you've put them on the schedule, sometimes, you know they have to reschedule multiple times before the surgery can proceed. So it just shows that there are all these factors that are somehow out of our control that can influence a patient's access to care. And we know that access to care does influence your surgical outcomes. 

How can ophthalmologists and retina specialists put this knowledge to use?

As a retina specialist, I think that being more cognizant of these factors can help you be a better advocate for your patient. Putting a patient in contact with a social worker if they're having difficulty coming to their appointments, if they have no vehicle access, if they lack support at home, or if they have to care for an individual in their home with who is disabled. I think those things can help your patients get better access to care, and on a more global level, I think these data also help policy makers know that there are social determinants of health that can influence a patient's access to care, that can ultimately influence their health outcomes. There must be some policies put into place that can help these patients do better and get better access.

Research reveals how neighborhood social factors impact patients with tractional retinal detachments, highlighting the need for improved access to care and support.

Vanessa Caceres

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