Objective. 1) Ascertain the attitudes and knowledge of Latinos in Milwaukee about diabetic eye disease (DED) and telemedicine and 2) assess their response to teleophthalmology screenings at their community center

Method. Focus groups (FG) were held at United Community Center (UCC) and were in English and Spanish. Questionnaire was used to assess DED knowledge.

Results. The pre-screening FGs had 7 participants for Spanish and 7 for English while the post-screening FGs had 6 for Spanish and 4 for English. FGs had a low understanding of DED based on the questionnaire (English FG scored 57% versus 41% for Spanish FG). Poor emphasis on preventative care was noted when asked about attitudes towards DED and seeking care. Convenience and efficiency were reported as advantages of telemedicine, but loss of physician-patient relationship was a disadvantage. 100% of participants who underwent teleophthalmology screening at UCC responded positively, expressing preference for the location, trust in the staff, and comfort with speaking Spanish as factors that would encourage them to seek annual eye exams.

Conclusion. Participants had positive experiences with teleophthalmology and listed various factors that broke down barriers to preventive eye screening. Our study is unique for assessing screenings done in a community center. High acceptance of this novel teleophthalmology approach may help improve adherence to annual screenings in Latino communities.