Background: Autoimmune diseases represent a significant health burden for 3% to 9% of the general population, and rheumatology, perhaps more than any other medical subspecialty, encompasses a broad array of such diseases that affect a wide range of organ systems including the eye. It serves as a sensitive barometer of autoimmune phenomena in many of the rheumatic diseases.

Objective: The study determined the various ocular manifestations of all autoimmune inflammatory disorders at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Section of Rheumatology and the Department of Ophthalmology from 2003 to 2018.

Methodology: A retrospective cohort study was done involving chart review of patients from both private division and clinical division. Sex, age, duration of disease, medications given, and ocular manifestations were determined. Statistical analysis included frequencies, percentages, and logistic regression analysis.

Results: Sixty-seven patients were included in the study. Of these, 58.2% (39/67) had ocular manifestations secondary to an established autoimmune disease. It was found out that 58.97% (23/39) had Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome. Other autoimmune diseases with ophthalmologic manifestations were systemic lupus erythematosus at 12.8% (5/39), ankylosing spondylitis at 10.25% (4/39), rheumatoid arthritis and Behcet's syndrome at 5.12% (2/39), and granulomatosis with polyangiitis, scleroderma and psoriatic arthritis at 2.56% (1/39).

Conclusion: In this population, the frequency of ocular manifestations of autoimmune diseases remained low with anterior uveitis as the most common. Close coordination between specialties is very important in the course of treatment and management to lessen its complications and related morbidity.

Purpose: To determine the feasibility of telemedicine screening for diabetic retinopathy in a community setting and to determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among Filipino patients with type 2 diabetes in the community. Study Design: Cross-sectional study among patients with type 2 diabetes in six community health centers in an urban city in the Philippines. Materials and methods: Subjects were examined from November 2018 to December 2018. A three-field non-mydriatic 45’ fundus photographs were taken for each patient and photographs were uploaded in cloud storage and read by a retina specialist in a tertiary hospital for assessment of diabetic retinopathy and grading of the fundus photographs. The results were sent back to local health centers. Results: A total of 387 eyes of 195 persons were examined. Overall, 288 out of 387 eyes (95.36%) had gradable quality fundus photo (grade 3 and higher) and did not need eye dilation. Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among the respondents was 25.26% - 3.16% had mild diabetic retinopathy, 15.79% had moderate diabetic retinopathy, 3.68% had severe diabetic retinopathy, and 3.68% had proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Other fundus findings noted include hypertensive retinopathy glaucomatous optic nerve, age-related macular degeneration, posterior vitreous detachment, clinically significant macular edema, and epiretinal membrane. Conclusion Due to the significant number of patients with diabetic retinopathy among type 2 diabetics in the community, telemedicine screening was a feasible alternative to dilated fundus examination and may be considered as part of the local health program to prevent blindness due to diabetes.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2|diabetic Retinopathy|telemedicine