2023-12-19 15:50:00
The main ocular complication of diabetes mellitus and the primary cause of blindness and visual impairment in people of working age, diabetic retinopathy affects one in three people with diabetes, with an incidence that has increased by +25% in the last 10 years. In Italy, however, only 11% of people with diabetes do prevention and perform an annual eye fundus exam, even though much of the visual loss is preventable through simple periodic checks. Precisely for this reason – we read in a note – the Diabete Italia patient associations, the Italian Diabetics Association (Fand) and the Eye Disease Patients Association, with the ‘Diabetes, protect your eyes’ campaign supported unconditionally by AbbVie – which also saw the organization of some free screening days in hospital – they launch an appeal for the prevention of diabetic retinopathy, underlining that ‘If you have diabetes, protect your eyes. Among the good resolutions for the new year we put a sight-saving check-up first.
“Diabetic retinopathy – states Francesco Bandello, president of the Eye Disease Patients Association – is exploding in the world in step with the growing prevalence of the diabetes pandemic. Today in Italy we can count over 1 million diabetics suffering from retinopathy, but this figure could be widely underestimated because people do not have regular check-ups. If it is not diagnosed in a timely manner – he explains – it can cause serious damage to sight, up to blindness, and very high health and social costs, as well as serious repercussions on the quality of life. Early diagnosis and management are therefore essential to save sight. This is why it is important to raise awareness among people with diabetes of the importance of going to the ophthalmologist even in the absence of symptoms to carry out an examination of the fundus of the eye before the retina has suffered damage.”
In this regard, “screening programs – adds Stefano Nervo, president of Diabete Italia – have a strong social impact as the retinal diseases that can affect people with diabetes remain asymptomatic for a long time and this is why those who suffer from Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema are often diagnosed late. To correct this situation – he recalls – it is essential to create information programs aimed at both patients and healthcare personnel involved in various capacities in their assistance. It is essential that the person with diabetes knows the pathology, is aware of the risk factors and problems connected to it, and perceives the importance of prevention, which always remains the most important weapon at our disposal to allow diagnosis and treatment early and reduce rates of vision loss.”
Diabetic retinopathy is underestimated until dark spots appear in the visual field, blurred and fluctuating vision, impaired color perception and difficulty with night vision, but, at this point, the stage is already advanced. The disease can be easily identified early thanks to the examination of the fundus of the eye: simple, non-invasive and painless.
“The continuous growth in the number of diabetics – reiterates Emilio Augusto Benini, Fand President – makes it essential to establish screening programs aimed at all people with diabetes, something which in Italy has not yet been set up, contrary to what happens in several Countries in the world. The current system for providing public eye care services is too hospital-centric, thus contributing to long waiting lists, a barrier to access for treatment of eye diseases. It is necessary – he suggests – to reverse the trend and bring prevention to the territory, alongside people with diabetes, also exploiting the potential of artificial intelligence and telemedicine with remote ophthalmologist reporting, which could be used in targeted and widespread screening programs on a large scale.”
Even in the absence of specific symptoms – concludes the note – the advice for people with diabetes, especially after the age of 40, is to periodically undergo an examination of the ocular fundus by contacting their family doctor or diabetologist or by booking an appointment check through the single regional booking centers (Cup) which includes the examination of the fundus of the eye, so as to be able to identify the appearance of retinal lesions early before the development of further complications.
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