Eye Disease Due To Diabetes Can Be Avoided As Soon As Possible

JAKARTA - Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic degenerative disease with high morbidity and mortality in the world. Meanwhile, Diabetic Retinopathy (RD) in the early stages is asymptomatic and often only shows symptoms when it is at an advanced level and at that stage it is too late to provide effective therapy.

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) is a disease in the form of thickening or edema filled with fluid and plasma constituents in the outer plexiform layer of the retina.

Associated with increasing age, there is the disease Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) or macular degeneration is a progressive eye disease that can cause rapid loss of vision and become one of the biggest causes of blindness globally.

Deputy for Gender Equality at the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Lenny N. Rosalin asked the public to be aware of eye diseases related to diabetes and ageing so that they can be detected early and treated appropriately.

"Based on data from the Ministry of Health in 2020, diabetes mellitus is the main cause of blindness, heart disease and kidney failure in Indonesia. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus as a percentage by sex in 2013-2018 shows that women are more susceptible to this disease," said Lenny, quoted by Antara. from ANTARA, Saturday, July 30.

Furthermore, the Head of the Indonesian Ophthalmologist Association (Perdami) Jakarta as well as the Head of Retina Service JEC Eye Hospital and Clinics, DR. dr. Elvioza, SpM(K) said that one of the causes of blindness comes from eye disease due to diabetes and age.

"Diabetes is a growing epidemic worldwide affecting the working age population. Patients with diabetes have a higher risk of developing several comorbid and chronic conditions. Meanwhile, vision loss is the most feared complication of diabetes," said dr. Elvioza.

Early detection is the key to the prevention and management of Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Macular Edema. Both require early detection and optimal glycemic control to slow disease progression.

In the early stages, RD generally has no symptoms and in the advanced stages of RD in DME there will be blurring to loss of vision.

"RD and DME patients have complex comorbid profiles and require long-term management. Meanwhile, AMD that affects diabetic patients over 60 years is degenerative and can lead to permanent blindness. Appropriate therapy and early treatment can prevent permanent vision loss," he said.