Kathmandu- The risk of diabetic retinopathy has been found to increase with age.
Just after the recently concluded World Diabetes Week, speaking at an awareness program on the risks of diabetes, organized by the Tilganga Eye Hospital on Wednesday, Vitreo-Retina Specialist Dr. Raba Thapa has given that information.
‘Diabetes, which affects the retina and causes complications of blindness, has a 4 % risk in the 40-year-old age group and 9% in the 60-year-old age group,’ she said.
Therefore, Thapa insist every person with diabetes should have their eyes examined regularly. ‘As a result of being asymptomatic, most diabetics are at increased risk,’ she said. According to her, due to the lack of timely treatment, diabetic patients have to suffer from blindness.
The risk of a relatively luxurious and sedentary lifestyle is higher in urban areas than in rural areas, she said, adding that uncontrolled sugar, prolonged exposure to sugar, high fat content in the blood, high blood pressure and the effect of sugar on the kidneys are the main reasons.
‘We are all equally responsible for preventing this’, she said, adding that the main reason was the lack of public awareness and the inability of the relevant experts to reach out to the patients themselves.
Also she complained that The Tilganga Eye Foundation has been conducting Diabetes Retinopathy Day for the last 15 years on the occasion of World Diabetes Day since 2014 to raise public awareness about the effects of Diabetes on the Diabetes Retinopathy. Though it’s not been able to reach the required masses yet.
For this, she has also urged the media personnel to disseminate the necessary news with proper public awareness.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, 463 million people worldwide have diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, amputation, heart disease, kidney failure and premature death. One out of every three diabetics suffers from some form of visual impairment in their lifetime.
People with diabetes have three times the risk of heart disease than the average person. Similarly, the risk of kidney failure is 10 times higher in diabetic patients. Worldwide, one in every 30 seconds a diabetic loses his or her legs, and one in two adults is undiagnosed with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation.
However, experts say that diabetes can be easily prevented by more than 50 percent through a balanced diet, regular exercise, regular health check-ups, stress management and drug treatment.
