What Is Diabetic Retinopathy? All You Need To Know – News18

Diabetes has become a common issue in this generation. Millions of people are suffering from diabetes, and some of them are not even aware. According to reports, India ranks first with 17 percent of diabetic patients.

This disease is becoming dangerous with different side effects like heart issues, obesity, and others. Due to high blood pressure, various body parts are affected; similarly, diabetic retinopathy is one such disease. It destroys the eyesight of diabetic patients.

Reports based on the 2015–2019 survey state that every sixth person over 50 is suffering from diabetes and also diabetes retinopathy.

To analyse the number of people suffering from this disease, Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS Delhi, surveyed 21 districts across India. These cities were included under 31 districts in the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey, which stated that people are suffering from diabetic retinopathy.

Dr Praveen Vashisht states that diabetic individuals who have diabetic retinopathy experience ocular problems. This causes swelling or spots to form, damage to the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye, and the beginning of blurred vision. The eyes are also rendered completely blind by this illness. Though most patients are not always aware of this.

Findings of the survey report:

According to the NDR Survey India 2015–19 report, diabetes affects about one in eight Indians, and one in six of those with diabetes also have diabetic retinopathy, a dangerous eye condition. This eye condition affects about 17% of all diabetes patients in the nation, and 3.6% of those patients develop severe, light-snatching diabetic retinopathy.

It is quite bad that 90 percent of diabetics in the nation do not have their eyes examined. Because of this, the sickness that has affected the eyes cannot be seen. It is alarming to see that 89.9% of people never had their eyes tested, even after being told they had diabetes. Additionally, 6.3% of those who were diagnosed with diabetes within a year had their eyes examined. Additionally, 1.9% of those with diabetes had their eyes examined within the first two years of diagnosis.

It was also found that patients with diabetic retinopathy didn’t seek medication or treatment because they felt like there were no visible symptoms and they didn’t need any treatment. The first step to treating this disease is to control diabetes and follow a healthy lifestyle.

If you have diabetes, please go for an eye check-up.

According to the study findings, 60.5 percent of respondents had poor glycemic control, meaning they were unable to maintain normal blood sugar management, according to Dr. Vashisht. Only 39.5% of people can successfully regulate their blood sugar with medication or any other means. It’s not necessary that after getting your eyes checked you will have diabetic retinopathy, but it is always better to be aware and take the necessary precautions as needed.