Virtual front door for new referrals from a Diabetic Eye Screening Programme in England

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of visual impairment in the UK [1]. Early detection of DR through national diabetic eye screening programme[s] (DESP) has been shown to preserve vision and reduce the necessity for late treatment [2]. Virtual clinics for follow-up DR patients have been increasingly utilised in recent years following the Covid-19 pandemic. We collected evidence relating to compliance with national guidelines relating to waiting times for routine new diabetic referrals, time frame for follow-ups, mean time-to-treatment, and distribution of subsequent face-to-face and virtual follow-up for a new virtual Diabetic Retinopathy Imaging Clinic (DRIC).