- Over 4.4 million people in South Africa between the ages of 20 and 79 suffer from diabetes.
- It is predicted that one in three people with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy.
- Damage from diabetic retinopathy is frequently irreversible, making prompt treatment even more crucial.
Over 4.4 million people in South Africa between the ages of 20 and 79 suffer from diabetes, which is an epidemic that is spreading. Without effective interventions, the International Diabetes Federation projects that by 2045, this number will increase to 6.3 million.
In South Africa, diabetic retinopathy—a major complication of diabetes—is the fourth-leading cause of blindness and the most frequent cause of visual impairment in people of working age. Less than 20% of patients have a yearly screening, even though it is predicted that one in three people with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetes
The Ophthalmological Society of South Africa (OSSA) places a strong emphasis on the necessity of cooperation between governmental bodies, healthcare providers, and non-governmental organizations to lessen the effects of diabetic retinopathy and avoidable vision loss among South Africans with diabetes. Addressing this issue requires early discovery, better treatment accessibility, and increased patient information.
Globally, diabetes is one of the most expensive health issues, including direct medical expenditures, indirect costs from lost productivity owing to illness, absence, vision loss, disability, early retirement, and death, as well as intangible costs like physical and emotional suffering.
Targeting children and young adults in particular, a concerted effort by the government and primary healthcare systems is required to raise awareness of the issue and to promote lifestyle modification, good eating, and exercise.
Damage from diabetic retinopathy is frequently irreversible or partially reversible, making prompt treatment even more crucial.
According to research, diabetes-related blindness can be avoided with early diagnosis, risk factor reduction, and prompt treatment. Depending on the severe state of vision loss, treatment options include surgery, intravitreal injections, and laser treatments.
Prof. Visser advises South Africans to put their health first to avoid diabetes. She recommends losing weight, engaging in regular exercise, abstaining from alcohol, stopping smoking, consuming more fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains, and staying away from processed and sugary meals.
For people with diabetes, an annual retinopathy screening is advised since it can identify kidney disease, peripheral nerve disease, heart failure, stroke, and other conditions earlier. Visit a local clinic or GP for a diabetic screening, then have your eyes checked at an eye care facility in South Africa for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
