Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Now, an expanded collaboration between Quest Diagnostics and IRIS (Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems) aims to increase convenience and improve screening rates for this condition.
Secaucus-based Quest said the partnership will deliver diabetic retinal imaging services throughout its patient service centers across the country to aid in screening patients for retinal assessment.
According to the CDC, nearly one-third of patients with diabetes over 40 have diabetic retinopathy. The National Eye Institute found that screening to aid early detection and treatment may help prevent the disease from progressing to blindness. The Quest-IRIS partnership makes it more convenient for patients to receive the service, the company said.
“Limited access to important screenings has allowed the undetected, sight-threatening progression of diabetic retinopathy to grow,” Christopher Grant, vice president and general manager, Quest HealthConnect, said in a statement. “Through this collaboration with IRIS, we can now provide a new opportunity to help prevent sight loss. Leveraging our network of patient service centers will increase access to screenings for many, ultimately leading to better health outcomes.”
In 2018, Quest Diagnostics’ Quest HealthConnect business began providing diabetic retinal imaging for use in screening with the IRIS platform — a portable, handheld camera that captures a patient’s retinal images. The new collaboration extends the use of the IRIS platform to Quest’s patient service centers around the United States.
