London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Gain practical knowledge to reduce risk of vision loss from diabetic eye disease

The number of adults with diabetes is predicted to increase by more than 50% to 642 million by 2040. Diabetic eye disease is a range of ocular complications experienced by people with diabetes. Recent global trends have found an alarming increase in the magnitude of vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy, highlighting the need to strengthen health services to prevent blindness.

Through this online course, you will learn the key facts about diabetic eye disease and its management, and how health teams and people with diabetes can work together to reduce the risk of vision loss and blindness.

What topics will you cover?

• Classification, natural history, epidemiology and complications of diabetes mellitus and diabetic eye disease, in particular diabetic retinopathy
• Impact of diabetic eye disease on the individual, society and health services
• Public health and screening for diabetic eye disease: principles, guidelines and implementation models
• Partnerships and team approach to prevent blindness from diabetic retinopathy
• Approaches to provision of screening and grading services
• Treatment protocols and guidelines for diabetic retinopathy in high and low resourced health systems
• Monitoring and evaluation approaches for diabetic retinopathy screening

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to:

• Describe the classification, natural history, epidemiology and complications of diabetes mellitus
• Interpret the classification, pathophysiology and epidemiology of diabetic eye disease and its impact on eye health services and society
• Evaluate public health strategies for the control of diabetic eye disease
• Describe and apply the principles of screening to diabetic retinopathy
• Explore the models for detection of diabetic retinopathy and their implications within high and low resourced health systems
• Evaluate guidelines for grading, screening and monitoring its implementation with the diabetic retinopathy care pathway
• Identify the barriers and challenges experienced by people living with diabetes to manage their diabetes, and comply with screening and treatment
• Assess treatment protocols and resources requirements for the management of Diabetic eye disease and its implementation at a programme level
• Apply the planning tool to strengthen diabetic eye care services at a local level

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, clinical ophthalmic officers, diabetes nurses, diabetic eye disease screeners and graders, public health specialists, eye health programme managers and planners, diabetologists, general practitioners and all health care personnel involved in supporting people with diabetes.

On demand

This course is available on demand, and can be accessed anytime. This means you can take the course at your own pace and engage with other learners using the comments and discussion section.

Certificate

A printed and personalised Certificate of Participation can be obtained for a fee of £30. Certificates will be produced termly; at the end of January, April, August, November. Postage and delivery may take up to two weeks. Incomplete requests, or requests received after a deadline will be processed during the next certificate production run.

CPD Certification Service

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles.

Other relevant courses

• Public Health for Eye Care (Master's degree)
• Eliminating Trachoma (free online course)

• Global Blindness: Planning and Managing Eye Care Services (free online course)

About the International Centre for Eye Health

The International Centre for Eye Health is based at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine where it is led by Professors Allen Foster and Clare Gilbert. The main aim of the Centre is to facilitate a reduction in blindness with a particular emphasis on low-income countries.