Retina Labs Health Plan Member Success Story Highlights Life-Changing Impact of In-Home Diabetic Eye Exam Screenings

How a simple in-home diabetic eye exam led to vision-saving treatment for one health plan member by prioritizing program convenience & accessibility.

NASHVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES, June 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Retina Labs, a leading provider of in-home preventive screening programs for health plans, announced the release of a new member success story featuring Tawanna, a health plan member whose in-home diabetic eye exam screening led to the early detection of severe diabetic retinopathy and timely referral for specialist care. Her story demonstrates how expanding access to preventive care screening services can improve health outcomes for members living with diabetes while supporting proactive care coordination efforts.

Diabetic retinopathy remains the leading cause of preventable blindness among working-age adults and because the disease often progresses without noticeable symptoms, many individuals are unaware they have the condition until vision loss has already begun. Fortunately, up to 95% of diabetes-related vision loss cases can be prevented through early detection and timely treatment.

For Tawanna, a 52-year-old woman living with type II diabetes and mobility challenges related to a previous surgery that required amputation, making it to her traditional clinic appointments was difficult due to transportation limitations. After learning about Retina Labs’ in-home diabetic eye exam program through the company's outreach team, she welcomed the opportunity to receive the screening in the comfort of her own home.

“The in-home appointment scheduling process was as simple and easy as can be,” said Tawanna. “Having the exam done at home was so much more convenient without having to wait or worry about lining up adequate transportation to get me to an appointment on time.”

Prior to her screening, Tawanna had been experiencing spotty vision and initially believed the issue might be related to a previous cataract surgery. Following her in-home visit, retinal images were interpreted by an ophthalmologist who identified severe diabetic retinopathy in her right eye. Results were shared with her primary care provider, who quickly referred her to a retina specialist for additional evaluation and treatment.

“I had been noticing some distorted vision and didn’t fully understand what was going on,” Tawanna said. “The screening helped identify what needed immediate attention so I could take action in a timely manner through my doctor’s guidance.”

Through follow-up care, Tawanna was subsequently diagnosed with glaucoma in addition to diabetic retinopathy and began receiving anti-VEGF injections and ongoing specialist care to help slow further vision deterioration. Today, she meets regularly with her retina specialist to monitor the progression of her condition and manage treatment outcomes.

Tawanna's experience highlights the broader value of in-home diabetic eye exam screenings for health plans seeking to improve access to care for members facing transportation, mobility, or scheduling barriers. By bringing preventive screenings directly to members and enabling near real-time communication of results to providers, Retina Labs helps facilitate timely specialist referrals, strengthen continuity of care, and support quality improvement initiatives.

“Having someone come to your home makes it so much easier,” said Tawanna. “The visit was quick, simple, and effective, especially when you're already having to manage other ongoing health concerns. Retina Labs’ in-home approach gave me one less thing to worry about, allowing me to focus on other key health responsibilities.”

Today, Tawanna encourages others living with diabetes not to delay their annual eye exams.

“Please go get it done. It’s very important because you don’t realize how quickly your eyes can deteriorate from this disease,” she said.

Tawanna’s full story is available on the Retina Labs website at: https://www.retina-labs.com/news/tawannas-story

About Retina Labs:
For over a decade, Retina Labs has been a leader and innovator in teleretinal screening for diabetic eye disease. Retina Labs offers end-to-end diabetic retinopathy screening solutions for primary care practices and health systems as well as comprehensive in-home preventive care screening for health plans. Retina Labs' in-home preventive screenings include diabetic eye exams, bone mineral density scans, and blood pressure monitoring along with HbA1c, kidney health, and colon cancer testing. Retina Labs’ proven approach helps close critical HEDIS gaps in care measures that drive quality improvement and CMS Star Ratings while lowering costs through better disease detection and care management. For more information about Retina Labs, please visit https://www.retina-labs.com/.

Derek Derosier
Retina Labs USA Inc.
+ +1 866-344-2692 ext. 210
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
X

Retina Labs - Saving Vision in People Living with Diabetes

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.