Diabetes blindness, second cause of blindness in industrialized countries, can be prevented if the retinal lesion is detected early assured the ophthalmological doctor Guillermo Iribarren, coordinator of the National Campaign for the Prevention of Ceguera by Diabetes, organized by the CouncilArgentine ophthalmology, and that will be held on Friday with free consultations throughout the country.
"Diabetes is a metabolic disease that affects vessels, arteries and veins and that have several 'target' organs that are the heart, kidneys, lower peripheral circulation and eyes, where their most aggressive shape can cause blindness", Iribarren detailed in dialogue with Télam.
The specialist explained that “in the eyes the retina (retinopathy) is affected, which is the part of the nerve fillets that go to the central system;And this condition in the circulation is causing a decrease in vision. ”
As diabetes being a silent disease, sometimes it is from the patient notice this difficulty in the view that develops the disease.
"In young people can go from five to six years until retinopathy is developed, while in older adults who are the ones who have more diabetes, time is variable," he said.
Between 30 and 40 percent of people with diabetes will develop the disease, but only between 5 and 9 percent will have the most advanced way.
“Prevention in this context is extremely important.The person with diabetes must be educated about how to control their glucose, what to do in case it is high and try to prevent this from happening, ”he described.
He added: "But, in addition, it is essential that an eye background be performed once for years, to see how his retina is found since the patient can have the disease without loss of vision at the beginning."
Through the fundus, the specialist will evaluate what type of treatment will be the most appropriate depending on the level of injury: “There are laser treatments, with medications called antiangiogenic, or interventions of different types, but the central thing is to know that if it is detected toTime there are ways to avoid progression and, therefore, blindness. ”
The National Campaign for the Prevention of Blindness for Diabetes, which consists of a free attention day throughout the country that takesdiabetic patients.
“During the campaign what we specifically do is carry out eye funds to all the diabetic people who attend, that is, drops are applied to delay their pupils to be able to observe their retinas, macules and optical nerves.It is a fast and painless process, ”Iribarren described.
And he continued: “If diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed, the case is derived to make other studies that will determine if the patient requires treatment.With the clinical data of each patient that is reviewed, a file is prepared to prepare, subsequently, a statistic of incidence and prevalence of the disease ”.
On the 10 thousand background of eyes performed, 40 percent of the cases had lesions compatible with diabetic retinopathy and 9 percent showed advanced forms of the disease;All of them were derived for their corresponding treatment, while about 1 percent of the patients who presented the control already suffered from diabetes.
“Throughout these years we are noticing a greater awareness of the diabetic to perform ocular control, but we do not notice a decrease in blindness, and this is because diabetes is a disease that is increasing worldwide as a consequence as a consequenceof sedentary lifestyle and obesity, ”explained thespecialist.
Diabetes is the second cause of blindness in industrialized countries, and the main one in people aged 25 to 74.In Argentina there are about 1,500,000 diabetics (between 4 and 5 percent of the population), of which half ignores that this disease suffers.
The list of centers and professionals that will attend free of charge on Friday 21 can be consulted on the page: Link
