Diabetic Retinopathy Screening in Europe is an initiative established in 2005 to support the development of diabetic retinopathy screening though regular meetings of professional leaders and policy makers. It builds on the St. Vincent Declaration which in 1990 set a benchmark for the planning of future delivery of care for diabetes. The Declaration set the clear goal for people with diabetes of,

"a sustained improvement in health experience and life approaching normal expectation in quality and quantity."

Specific targets were included for the prevention of costly complications including,

"a reduction of new cases of blindness by 1/3rd in the five years after 1990."

Although specifically written from within Europe its goals apply worldwide.

In 2005 a conference took place in Liverpool which reviewed progress in the prevention of visual impairment due to diabetic retinopathy since the publication of the St. Vincent target and developed a new declaration. Meetings have taken place since then in Amsterdam (2008), Gdansk (2011), Manchester (2016) and Belfast (2021). Participants from European countries representing diabetes and endocrinology, ophthalmology, public health, and policy makers have convened each time to review progress and share challenges and best practice. Reports from all these conferences are available on this website and demonstrate steady progress over the last two decades but much still to be done.

2025 marks the 20-year anniversary of the Liverpool Declaration and is an ideal opportunity in our next meeting to share achievements and develop practical next steps in the continuing drive to reduce vision impairment from diabetes.

Next meeting: Thursday 5th June 2025, St. Georges Hall, Liverpool

Click here for further details of the meeting which will be updated regularly over the next few months.