Retinopathy screening can prevent diabetic blindness - Health Ministry

by Carol Aloysius

The Ministry of Health Care and Nutrition will conduct weekly screening clinics and will hold a mass screening program tomorrow to detect this condition following the sharp rise in diabetic retinopathy, now the fourth leading cause for blindness.

“Retinopathy screening is extremely important to prevent diabetic blindness as 24 percent urban and 14 percent of the rural population have diabetes. People including schoolchildren should attend our mass screening program at the Eye Hospital, Colombo tomorrow from 8 a.m to 12 noon and our weekly screening programs every Thursday from 2 p.m - 4 p.m., as this disease is increasingly affecting the younger generation”, Consultant Eye surgeon, National Hospital, Sri Lanka, in charge of the Diabetic Retinopathy program for Vision 2020 Sri Lanka, Dr Binara Amarasinghe told a discussion on Diabetic Retinopathy at the Health Education Bureau on Wednesday.

“Diabetic retinopathy could lead to severe complications. Early detection can prevent this”, he said.

Director General Health Services Dr G. Maheepala said that public awareness programs on diabetic retinopathy were conducted in all eye clinics islandwide and diabetic retinopathy screening clinics with body mass index measurements, free nutritional advice and prompt referrals to appropriate units for treatment and qualified physicians for advice available for all. “Vision 2020 Sri Lanka is also lobbying for equipment needed to detect and treat diabetic retinopathy at all clinics islandwide, including eye care in all diabetes and non communicable diseases programs are also on the cards”, he said.