• After a successful pilot phase, the eye check-up for diabetics is now being rolled out across the entire Ocumeda partner network in Germany

• For the first time, suspected medical diagnoses are now also possible with the Ocumeda service due to the legal framework of the service as a medical service

• Partner opticians can thus specifically target the 10 million people with diabetes in Germany and offer a valuable service as an option for the regularly recommended preventive care

• No additional costs will be incurred by partner opticians as a result of the expansion

Munich, September 29, 2026 Ocumeda is expanding its range of services: Following a successful pilot phase, the eye check-up for diabetics is now available to all partner opticians in the Ocumeda network in Germany.

The figures show the need: Around ten million people in Germany are affected by diabetes, with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in particular continuing to rise. Diabetics have an increased risk of pathological changes in the retina. Diabetic retinopathy can progress for a long time without noticeable symptoms, especially in the early stages, and can permanently impair vision if left untreated. Regular ophthalmological retinal examinations are therefore an integral part of structured diabetes care and are scheduled at regular intervals in the disease management programs of the statutory health insurance funds. The Professional Association of Ophthalmologists in Germany (BVA) also underlines this recommendation. Nevertheless, more than a third of those affected do not take advantage of the recommended eye screening. This is one of the reasons why diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common causes of blindness in the working-age population.

Ophthalmic opticians are in the ideal position to help lower the existing barriers to access with a local service. They make it much easier for diabetics to integrate the necessary eye screening into their daily lives.

During the eye check-up for diabetics, a second, optic disc-centered retinal image is taken in addition to the macular-centered image for each eye. In addition, specific health issues are surveyed, such as the type of diabetes, duration of the disease and blood sugar level. Specialists in ophthalmology then evaluate the images digitally. The medical report includes the targeted specialist suspected diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, including the stage. This service is made possible by Ocumeda's special care model: The evaluation of the eye check-up is a medical service and is billed according to the German Fee Schedule for Physicians (GOÄ). A treatment contract is established between optician customers and ophthalmologists. Ocumeda thus creates the legal framework within which an assessment can be carried out by ophthalmologists. As the first service provider, Ocumeda makes this special offer accessible through the optician. If there is a need for further consultation, those affected receive concrete recommendations for action and are guided into local ophthalmological care.

For ophthalmic optics, the offering opens up relevant potential: Around ten million people with diabetes in Germany form a large target group with regular preventive care needs. For optician businesses, this creates recurring opportunities for contact and the possibility to support their customers in the long term regarding their eye health. The expansion is available to participating businesses at no additional cost.

"Regular eye screening is indispensable for people with diabetes. Already in the pilot phase, the rate of anomalous findings was around 40 percent, which is about twice as high as in the regular Ocumeda eye check-up. This shows how important it is to reach more people with regular eye screening. With the new eye check-up for diabetics, we are creating an additional access point directly in people's everyday lives. Those affected receive a specialist evaluation of their retina within a short time and, in the event of anomalies, are specifically guided into further ophthalmological care. In this way, we can contribute to detecting relevant changes early and initiating the necessary treatment in good time," says PD Dr. med. Catharina Busch, specialist in ophthalmology and Medical Director at Ocumeda.

ABOUT OCUMEDA

Ocumeda is one of the leading tele-ophthalmology platforms in Europe. Ocumeda has made it its mission to prevent vision loss and blindness in millions of people. The company was built by an interdisciplinary team around renowned ophthalmologists who were repeatedly confronted with patients whose severe eye diseases were often diagnosed too late – with the result that vision loss could no longer be prevented. This observation was the impetus for setting up Ocumeda. To date, Ocumeda, together with over 900 specialist optician shops and ophthalmologists, has already conducted over 650,000 eye check-ups.

Sources:

https://augeninfo.de/offen/Diabetische-Retinopathie
https://edoc.rki.de/bitstream/handle/176904/12620/DiabSurv_Versorgungsqualit%c3%a4t_des_Typ-2-Diabetes_%c3%84rztliche_Augenuntersuchung_E.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
https://www.aerzteblatt.de/fachgebiete/ophthalmologie/arbeiten/diabetische-retinopathie-56f28e4e-fcd3-4c62-b15f-5266b3bbad32