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It is one of the many myths that diabetes occurs only in people who are overweight, fond of sweets and are older. However, the facts tell a different story. According to the International Diabetes Federation Atlas 20211,
- About 537 million adults aged 20–79 years have diabetes, a number projected to reach 643 million by 2030 and 784 million by 2045.
- An estimated 1.2 million children and adolescents (under the age of 20) have type 1 diabetes.
- An estimated 21 million babies were born with hyperglycemia in pregnancy in 2021.
Number India Not easy to see. According to the atlas, there were 74 million patients with diabetes in India in 2021, and this number is expected to increase to 93 million in 2030 and 124 million in 2045.1, Additionally, there are estimated to be around 39.3 million people with diabetes in India who are not diagnosed.1,
This is a serious consideration, especially since diabetes is an urban disease. Indians are becoming increasingly urban and increasingly sedentary – often a function of our office jobs. Type II diabetes is considered a lifestyle disease, and therefore is completely preventable. Everyone needs information, and the right medical intervention at the right time. In fact, most doctors today believe that diabetes can be cured if it is caught early and managed well.
So let’s start with a little information. Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot produce enough insulin, or cannot use the insulin it is producing. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas and helps the body use the glucose in our blood. There are 3 types of diabetes4: gestational diabetes mellitus (mothers sometimes develop it during pregnancy), type I diabetes (usually manifests in childhood, and has genetic characteristics) and type II (preventable lifestyle disease, which causes diabetes occurs in about 90% of cases).
Symptoms you should be aware of are: frequent urination, extreme thirst, blurred vision, lack of energy, tiredness, constant hunger, and sometimes sudden weight loss and bed-wetting4, If you have any combination of these symptoms, it’s time to get tested. Diabetes isn’t just going to make you tired and cranky; It does real harm to the body.
Diabetes and elevated blood sugar levels linked with double the risk of heart disease4, Diabetes, when combined with high blood pressure, causes 80% of end-stage kidney disease globally4, 40-60 million people worldwide suffer complications of diabetic foot and lower limbs – painful ulcers and a chronic condition called peripheral vascular disease that severely limits their mobility4,
However, the most frightening, and yet most preventable, complication of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, which affects more than half of people with diabetes during the course of their disease, according to the National Eye Institute of the US National Institutes of Health.2, The tricky part is that there are no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Some people notice changes in their vision, such as trouble reading or seeing distant objects. But it comes and goes. In the later stages, blood vessels in the retina begin to bleed, forming floating spots, and in some extreme cases, total loss of vision.2,
That’s why screening is necessary. In fact, within just 8 years of implementing a policy of routine screening for diabetic retinopathy, it is no longer the leading cause of blindness among the working-age population in the UK.4, In Wales, this resulted in a 40-50% reduction in new certifications for visual impairment4f,
Therefore, we know the screening functions. But it only works if you are involved. According to the National Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Survey, India (2019), almost 90% of known diabetic patients never went for an eye evaluation for diabetic retinopathy.3,
This inspired the launch of Network18 ‘Eye Protection’ – India Against Diabetes Initiative, in association with Novartis India, which focuses exclusively on Diabetic Retinopathy. Launched on November 27, 2021, the initiative began with a series of roundtable discussions on Diabetic Retinopathy, which you can view. youtube, News18.com and others Facebook,
Two more round table sessions are scheduled in the coming weeks. The initiative seeks the help of the medical community, think tanks and policy makers in combat. You can also watch many lecturer videos and articles on News18.com.
The objective of the initiative is simple: to give you the information you need, to take yourself and your loved ones for a simple, painless eye exam that could make all the difference in your quality of life for years to come.
Start self checkup with diabetic retinopathy Here, and maybe even get a blood test if you haven’t at times. The numbers around diabetes and diabetic retinopathy are hard to see, especially for office-goers in Indian cities, but at least we’ve had the privilege of using our eyes to see them. Let’s keep it that way.
Follow #eye protection For more updates on Eye Protection – India Against Diabetes initiative, and involve yourself in India’s fight against diabetic retinopathy.
Source:
- IDF Atlas, International Diabetes Federation, 10th Edition, 2021
- https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/diabetic-retinopathy
- National Blindness and Visually Impaired Survey 2015-2019, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Dr. Rajendra Prasad Center for Ophthalmology, AIIMS, New Delhi
- IDF Atlas, International Diabetes Federation, 9th Edition, 2019
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