The Hindu : Karnataka News : Number of people with diabetes will double by 2030: WHO

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 14, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Number of people with diabetes will double by 2030: WHO

T.V. Sivanandan

High incidence: Diabetic retinopathy accounts for about 5 per cent of the global pattern of blindness.

GULBARGA: Diabetic retinopathy is fast emerging as one of the leading causes of blindness in the world, which will observe November 14 as World Diabetes Day to create awareness about the disease and its prevention.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, diabetic retinopathy accounts for about 5 per cent of the global pattern of blindness and the WHO has projected a significant increase in the incidence of diabetes in all the geographic regions owing to lack of awareness among the affected population on how to prevent the disease from worsening and leading to blindness.

Prashant Kamalapurkar, opthalmmologist, told The Hindu that the threat of the disease spreading fast in the highly population regions in Asia, including India and China, was very high and, according to the estimates of the WHO, individuals suffering from diabetes would double by 2030.

Dr. Kamalapurkar said that there was an urgent need for initiating targeted action and inter-disciplinary approach to tackle the problem. Controlling diabetic retinopathy was a complex issue requiring health education to prevent diabetes, early diagnosis of diabetes, comprehensive and cost-effective screening programmes to detect diabetics with treatable retinopathy through laser treatment.

He said that there was a need for specialised ophthalmologists to manage diabetic retinopathy, make appropriate technology available, develop new treatment programmes and frame a public health education policy on preventing diabetes.

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problem that people with diabetes may face as a complication of the condition and this causes severe vision impairment or blindness. Diabetic retinopathy is caused due to the changes in the blood vessels in the retina due to diabetic conditions.

Dr. Kamalapurkar said other eye disorders associated with diabetes included glaucoma, which damages the optic nerve due to increase in the pressure on the eye and cataract.

He claimed that the laser surgery for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy was time tested and helps to shrink the abnormal blood vessels in the retina. He said three or more sessions were usually required to complete the treatment. This was an out-patient procedure.

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