ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the accuracy of general practitioners in recognizing diabetic retinopathy through color retinal retinography, with a two-hour training course, by comparing the capacity of screening and classifying diabetic retinopathy. Methods: In the first arm of the study, of 142 diabetic patients included, 274 eyes were evaluated, and these patients were examined with an indirect binocular ophthalmoscope and classified according to the degree of diabetic retinopathy. In the second arm of the study, 14 physicians who are not […]

Abstract Objective: To develop and analyze the validity and reliability of a questionnaire to assess the knowledge of primary care physicians and nurses about trachoma. Methods: This is a methodological study of elaboration and analysis of validity and reliability of an instrument (questionnaire). The following steps were developed: 1) identification of updated source literature on the subject; 2) elaboration of the questionnaire items by the researchers; 3) content validation by experts; 4) construct validation with instrument application and hypothesis test […]

OBJECTIVE: To assess the waiting time for eye care identifying the number of patients with each complaint; to investigate how the waiting time may worsen the patient’s condition; to check the screening of urgent cases for effectiveness; and to devise means of increasing the medical-surgical care capacity. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive survey was conducted using data obtained on 12 occasions during collaborative team visits to provide eyecare services. These initiatives were designed to decrease the waiting time and to treat […]

PURPOSE: To improve health services it is necessary to know the demand profile. This study was carried out with the objectives of: to identify the main reasons to seek an ophthalmologic primary care service; and to analyze the frequency of the principal diagnoses, according to gender and age groups, as well as the causes of referring patients. METHODS: Retrospective and descriptive study of 1,010 assisted patients during a period of 6 months. Parameters: age and sex of the patient, the […]