6 Strategies for Your Practice
Every year, about 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes— approximately 20% of whom discover it during an eye exam.1 As an eye care professional, you are pivotal in early detection and helping guide patients to timely treatment.
Here are six strategies to help you and your team deliver optimal eye care to your diabetic patients.
- Incorporate diabetes and prediabetes screening into patient intake
-
- Add a brief question about diabetes and/or prediabetes to your patient health history forms.
- Stay vigilant about diabetes risk factors
-
- Monitor known risk variables: family history, overweight status, age 45+, physical inactivity, or prediabetes.
- Gather critical details
-
- For diagnosed patients, ask about diabetes type, duration, control level (e.g., A1c), medications, and overall management.
- Ensure annual diabetes status reviews and appropriate exam types
-
- Confirm a patient’s diabetes status at each exam to determine whether a comprehensive dilated retinal exam is required.
- Document findings: is there evidence of retinopathy? Or is the exam clear? This distinction should guide your plan of care.
- Use templates for seamless care coordination
-
- Utilize draft letters or report templates that capture exam outcomes and recommendations. Share these with your patient’s PCP or endocrinologist to support collaborative care and improve patient follow-up.
- Train your office staff
-
- Front-desk and billing staff should be trained to understand which CPT II codes to select based on exam results.
- Proper use of CPTII codes can slow administrative burdens for your staff by reducing the need for chart extraction and review.
- Front-desk and billing staff should be trained to understand which CPT II codes to select based on exam results.
-
- Offer staff a quick reference chart like the one below:
| CPTII Quick Reference for Diabetic Eye Exams 2025 | ||
| Exam Finding | CPT II Code(s) | Use When |
| Evidence of Retinopathy | 2022F, 2024F, 2026F | Patient’s exam shows diabetic retinopathy |
| No Evidence of Retinopathy | 2023F, 2025F, 2033F | Patient’s exam negative for retinopathy |
| Low Risk (Prior Negative Exam) | 3072F | Patient’s prior year exam was negative for retinopathy |
| Claim Submission Tips for Staff:
· Submit CPT II codes with $0.00 or nominal charge (e.g., $0.01) · Do not use modifiers 1P, 2P, 3P, or 8P in 2025 · Always pair CPT II with correct ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes |
||
Your implementation of these strategies can support operational performance within your practice and elevate patient care.
Most importantly, identifying diabetic retinopathy early can help prevent vision loss and blindness for your patients.For additional information and recommendations, check out this link.
Sources
- Versant Health, Eye Exams Can Help Diagnose Diabetes
- Peter J. Cass, Optometric Management, Dive Into Diabetic Eye Care