Lack of diabetes screening leading to rise in serious eye diseases
Two startups discuss how they ’ re changing attitudes and healthcare systems
Only a quarter of the world ’ s population has been screened for eye problems like glaucoma , age-related macular degeneration , or diabetic retinopathy . While it would be easy to dismiss as mainly a Third World problem , it ’ s just as serious in the developed world .
Diabetic retinopathy , in particular , which is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye , has become a major public health challenge given that the number of diabetes patients is swelling in not only countries like India but also highly health-conscious Singapore and the United States .
It ’ s estimated that one in three people with diabetes around the world suffers from diabetic retinopathy . With over 460 million diabetes patients globally , according to 2019 data , this means that over 150 million people are afflicted .
The condition can develop in anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes . The longer a patient has diabetes , and the less control they have over their blood sugar , the more likely this eye complication will develop .
“ The reason why early detection is very important is because of the fact that at first , diabetic retinopathy may cause no symptoms or only mild vision problems . Your vision may still be normal but oftentimes , if left undetected and untreated , it can lead to complete and permanent vision loss . That ’ s why it ’ s also extremely important for this to be picked up early ,” said Dr Anand Sivaraman , director of Remidio Innovative Solutions , an integrated medical device and artificial intelligence company that seeks to improve healthcare access .
He was speaking at Medical Festival Asia , an online event co-conceptualised by Global Health Asia- Pacific and Messe Düsseldorf Asia that took place last December .
Remidio ’ s flagship product , the Fundus On Phone , is the world ’ s only smartphone-based non-mydriatic fundus camera that is able to take retinal photographs without using medication to dilate the pupil .
According to Dr Anand , ophthalmological imaging has been successful in tackling diabetic retinopathy .
“ The public health screening programme in England covered almost 82 percent of those with diabetes , and within a period of six to seven years , they have been able to show that diabetic retinopathy
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com APRIL 2021
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