rss
Br J Ophthalmol 2009;93:698-699 doi:10.1136/bjo.2008.151357
  • Innovations

Ocular telemedicine between Nepal and the USA: prevalence of vitreoretinal disease in rural Nepal

  1. J N Ulrich1,
  2. G Poudyal2,
  3. S J Marks1,
  4. T R Vrabec1,3,
  5. B Marks1,
  6. A B S Thapa2,
  7. M K Shresta2,
  8. S Ruit2,
  9. J L Federman3
  1. 1
    Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA
  2. 2
    Tilganga Eye Center, Kathmandu, Nepal
  3. 3
    Henry and Corrine Bower Laboratory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  1. Dr J N Ulrich, Geisinger Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology, 100 N. Academy Ave, Danville, PA 17822, USA; npilic{at}web.de
  • Accepted 9 November 2008

Abstract

This study is aimed at reporting experiences with telemedicine between Nepal and the USA and at reporting the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in rural Nepal. AMD and DR are becoming more significant factors for non-reversible vision loss in rural Nepal due to increasing life expectancy and urbanisation. The prevalence of DM is low compared with the developed world, but the percentage of diabetics with DR is high, presumably due to limited access to healthcare. The higher prevalence of DM in Hetauda is explained as being due to a more urban lifestyle, dietary habits (more deep-fried food) and more advanced age.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: None.

  • Ethics approval: Ethics approval was provided by Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA.

  • Patient consent: Obtained.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Social bookmarking

Register for free content


Free sample
 This recent issue is free to all users to allow everyone the opportunity to see the full scope and typical content of BJO.
View free sample issue >>

Free archive
The full back archive is now available for BJO. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006, back to volume 1 issue 1.
Register to access the free archive >>

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.