With India emerging as the global leader in the number of diabetics with a staggering figure of over 65 million diabetics, it is little wonder that it is increasingly referred to as the Diabetic capital of the world. A dubious distinction indeed!
Diabetes, as a disorder, is causing a disturbing drift in the life of the productive group who fall between age group 40 to 50.
Sankara Nethralaya, with its mission to alleviate blindness, has been actively engaged in Diabetic research and prevention projects for over a decade to study the prevalence of ailments such as the diabetic eye and to create awareness among the public on the risks it causes to vision, when it stealthily damages the most precious organ the “eye”.
This year, with the theme of “Save your vision; Take action; consider a complete eye examination including Retina”, World Diabetes Day got to a vibrant start with a bustling crowd thronging the corridors of the 5th floor of Jagadguru Kanchi Sri Chandrasekarendra Netra Nilayam, from 9 am, on Nov 14 the venue of Sankara Nethralaya’s free diabetes and diabetic retinopathy screening and counselling camp.
The day’s program primarily dedicated to the cause of screening Diabetic Retinopathy for the public and creating awareness on the evils of the disease witnessed over 122 eager participants, who were subjected to a comprehensive eye check up.
The sessions included random sugar and BP check up, Vision and eye pressure assessments, fundus imaging, consultation and counselling with senior vitreo retinal surgeons Dr. Rajiv Raman and Dr G.Suganeswari.
The day also witnessed vibrant awareness creation activities like poster presentations, screening of video clips on Diabetes and eye disorders, risks, management and treatment to restore vision.
Following a nutritive lunch offered to the patients Dr. Rajiv Raman and Dr. G.Suganeswari delivered invigorating talks on the threat of eye ailments due to diabetes, severity of retinopathy and visual impairment, management of optimal levels of sugar, BP and lipids, therapeutic and surgical treatment methods to take care of Diabetic retinopathy and most importantly change of life style for a healthy living with diabetes.