(ANSA) – ROME, 03 OCTOBER – Often diagnosed late when it is now in an advanced stage, Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the main cause of blindness in adults of working age and affects over 1 million people with diabetes in Italy, constantly increasing number. It is estimated that approximately 13% of the burden of low vision is attributable to the most severe forms of Diabetic Retinopathy and that, with approximately 108,856 people entitled to exemptions related to visual alterations, in the period 2015-2030, only DR will produce an increase of state costs amounting to 4.2 billion euros, as stated in the Study “VALUE BASED EYECARE: document on the prevention of ocular complications in diabetic patients” presented at the event “Diabetic retinopathy: importance of prevention and early diagnosis of the reference patient” , organized by Cencora-Pharmalex and created with the unconditional contribution of Abbvie Italia. The meeting highlighted the urgent need to increase the frequency and diffusion of checks and tests to encourage early diagnosis, also making use of initial remote consultations with telemedicine.
“It is estimated that almost all patients with type 1 diabetes and over 60% of individuals with type 2 diabetes experience forms of retinopathy of variable severity within approximately 20 years of diagnosis. This is why we must adopt as a strategy digitalisation and telemedicine are also prevention”, says Massimo Nicolò, head of the Retina and Maculopathy Center at the University of Genoa Ophthalmology Clinic. Remote tele-consultation can help intercept citizens with visual problems; thanks to OCT (Computed Optical Tomography) we can perform remote exams, reducing the risk of visual deterioration and limiting unnecessary visits to the hospital.
“It is essential to adopt a multidisciplinary approach in the management of diabetes, with close collaboration between diabetologist and ophthalmologist”, comments Angelo Avogaro, President of the Italian Society of Diabetology. The damage to the retina, often silent and asymptomatic, makes early diagnosis difficult: when the patient notices a decline in vision, the disease is already in an advanced stage. (HANDLE).
2024-10-08 12:50:09