The Department of Health (DOH) encouraged individuals with diabetes to have their eyes checked as this can help prevent problems with their vision.
The DOH noted that diabetic retinopathy is "a complication that affects eyes of a person with diabetes."
This complication is caused by “damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina). It shows no symptoms or only mild vision problems at first but it can lead to blindness if not properly treated," the DOH said.
“Makabubuting magpakunsulta ng maaga upang maiwasan ang mga sintomas nito at mabigyan ng tamang panuntunan upang ito ay mapigilan (It would be good to consult early to avoid its symptoms and to be given the right interventions to prevent it),” said DOH-Ilocos Regional Director Paula Paz Sydiongco in a statement.
Diabetic retinopathy can develop in anyone who has type 1 or type 2 diabetes, said Dr. Francisco de Vera Jr. DOH-Ilocos regional program manager of essential non-communicable disease.
“Kapag mas matagal ka ng may diabetes at less controlled ang blood sugar mo, mas malaki ang tyansa mong magkaroon ng kumplikasyon sa mata (If you have been diagnosed with diabetes for a long time already and your blood sugar is less controlled, the bigger your chance of developing eye complications),” said de Vera.
“At malalaman mo lang ito kung ikaw ay magpapaeksamin sa pamamagitan ng diabetic retinopathy screening. At ito ang pinakamabisang paraan upang malaman kung ang isang taong may diabetes ay mayroon ng retinopathy o loss of vision (And you will only know this if you undergo a diabetic retinopathy screening. And this is the most effective way to determine if a person with diabetes has retinopathy or loss of vision),” he added.
The DOH-Ilocos recently conducted a free diabetic retinopathy screening in San Gabriel, La Union on Aug. 25 to 26. The program was in partnership with the Ophthalmology Department of Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC). This was the fourth round of conducting such a program in the region, which was launched last April.
“The mobile diabetic eye screening has been effective in identifying previously unrecognized retinopathy among diabetic patients in rural areas,” said Sydiongco.
“Mas maraming pasyente nasusuri dahil ang serbisyo ang dinadala sa kanila kaysa sa isang fixed site na kadalasan ay hindi mapuntahan dahil na rin sa iba’t-ibang kadahilanan (More patients examined because the service is brought to them compared in a fixed site that is often inaccessible due to various reasons),” she added.