Diabetic retinopathy may cause blindness if it is not treated in time



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Mexico, (EFE) .- Diabetic retinopathy is a visual, chronic and specific complication of diabetes that produces alterations in the blood vessels that damage the retina in the long term and, without treatment, can cause blindness, said to Efe Dr. Virgilio Lima

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetic retinopathy has a prevalence of 43.6% worldwide, an estimated figure in Mexico at 31.5%.

According to WHO data, diabetic retinopathy occurs in type 1 diabetes or juvenile diabetes mellitus in 98% of patients after having the disease for 20 years.

Meanwhile, in type 2 diabetics, 60% of people who have lived at least 20 years with this disease.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of legal blindness between the ages of 20 and 65 in industrialized countries.

Virgilio Lima said that advantage is that it is a disease that can be avoided if detected early, however, since it does not present any symptoms is a very complicated diagnosis.

The expert said that because the disease has no symptoms, you should seek the disease intentionally, however, in Mexico, the procedure has several limitations "because the ophthalmology services in the country are saturated and that there is a prolonged waiting period ".

In addition, the revision process involves pupil dilation. , so that patients suffer from visual weakness for a few hours and blurred vision, so they must be accompanied and can not drive or return early to their activities, which means that many avoid to review "

. However, currently in hospitals like Juarez in Mexico, there is a technology with a high definition camera with which one makes a photograph of the bottom of the eye "which gives us the same information that we do when we dilate the pupils but does not require dilation, is not uncomfortable and is very fast, "he explained.

The review, he explains, serves to detect whether there is a risk of suffering from the disease. how advanced it is and with this treatment can be given to prevent further progress.

In the event that the patient has no change in his retina, he said that it is only recommended to continue to study annually and, in the case of women pregnant, it is advisable to do it between weeks 20 and 28 of pregnancy.

Finally, he stressed the importance of rapid detection, as he said that up to a fifth of patients could have the disease, and even there are those who are never diagnosed.
"We have technology for all patients, even if they are not beneficiaries, just make an appointment, but it is important to detect it in time to avoid significant damage", a- he concluded. EFE

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