New Delhi, 27 September (IANS). Before the World Retina Day, on Saturday, health experts talked about the challenges of diabetic retinopathy. According to experts, diabetes retinopathy is growing rapidly as a major cause of vision loss in India, and this condition is not known until the vision is damaged.
Every year on the last Sunday of September, World Retina Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the retina.
Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of concern for India due to the world’s diabetes capital. Therefore, experts say that it is very important to find it soon.
Dr. Praveen Vashisht, Professor and in -charge of Community Eye Sciences at the RP Center of New Delhi AIIMS, told IANS, “Diabetes is already an epidemic in India, and diabetic retinopathy is rapidly emerging as a public health problem. It is developing as one of the major causes of vision defects in the country.”
Dr. Vishali Gupta, vice president of VRSI and retina in PGIMS, said, “Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common and serious complications of diabetics, yet it is not known until the vision loss starts.”
As per the National Blindness and Dialogue Survey, conducted by AIIMS’s RP Center, 2019, about 12 percent of the population of 50 years of age and above suffer from diabetes.
About 17 percent of these were diabetic retinopathy. The worrying thing is that only 10 percent of people suffering from diabetes have checked the retina for diabetic retinopathy, which reflects a significant difference in initial identity and preventive care.
Gupta told IANS that in simple terms, the frequent growth in high blood sugar damages the small blood vessels located in the retina-the light-sensitive tissue (light sensitive tissue) located behind the eye, causing diabetic retinopathy.
The thing to make this situation particularly worrying is that it can grow quietly in the early stages without any clear symptoms.
“Over time, these weak vessels may cause fluid leaks or bleeding, causing inflammation, scars, and even abnormal development of new vessels, which can lead to a condition called diabetic macular edema (DME), which can cause vision threatens,” said the expert said.
Traditionally, laser therapy and anti-VEGF injections for DME are the main basis. But now, there have been some changes in the treatment of DME.
It contains bicycles (bipoled) antibodies, which provide hope by targeting multiple disease routes simultaneously, reducing inflammation, controlling abnormal blood vessels and helping to maintain prolonged vision with short remedies.
“These innovations are particularly important in a country like India, where the burden of diabetes is increasing rapidly,” Gupta said. He emphasized the need for early identity to achieve better results.
Gupta further said, “Delay in investigation and diagnosis means that patients often come when there is a significant and sometimes irreversible damage. In the later stage, the disease not only limit the success of treatment, but can also cause complete blindness, which affects the quality and productivity of the person, which affects the freedom, quality and productivity of life.”
Experts suggested regular eye check -ups as a regular part of diabetes care.
Vashistha told IANS, “Public awareness and systematic investigation initiative for diabetes retinopathy should be promoted across the country. A realistic target will have to achieve at least 80 percent of the investigation coverage in persons suffering from diabetes by 2030. Such an approach will be able to reduce the burden of blindness and those who have a time will be able to help them.
-IANS
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