Barriers to Diagnosis and Treatment (Video)

Experts once believed people in the Black community were at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes — and, therefore, complications of diabetes, such as DME — due to genetics, high blood sugar levels, obesity, and overall poor health.

They now understand other factors may play a role. One of these is exposure to pollutants and poor air quality in low-income neighborhoods, according to Irena Tsui, MD, who specializes in retina and vitreous disease at Doheny Eye Center UCLA Arcadia in California.

Dr. Tsui also points to inequities in the healthcare system, and even among some healthcare providers, as playing a significant role in worse outcomes. These discrepancies include delays in screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

“The longer it takes for a person to receive the necessary screening that leads to diagnosis and treatment, the more complicated their condition can become, making the chances for effective treatment lessen,” says Tsui.

Although there’s no definite timeline for how long it takes to develop DME after being diagnosed with diabetes, researchers have found that the longer a person has diabetes, the higher their risk of developing DME. This makes early diabetes screening, diagnosis, and treatment pivotal in DME prevention and effective treatment, says Tsui.

But research has found that Black Americans say they often don’t get screened or treated. They don’t have access to quality medical care, can’t afford to have someone take care of their kids, or simply don’t know enough about diabetes and complications such as DME to realize how important it is to be screened.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) advises all people living with diabetes (either type) to be screened for DME and other diabetes-related eye complications. Specifically, the AAO recommends:

• Adults with type 1 diabetes be screened 3 to 4 years after being diagnosed
• Children with type 1 diabetes be screened 5 years after being diagnosed
• People of all ages with type 2 diabetes be screened every year after being diagnosed