This year for World Diabetes Day (November 14) the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is leading a new “Eyes on Diabetes” campaign to highlight the risk of diabetes eye disease that leads to blindness.

Diabetes Australia CEO A/Professor Greg Johnson said the IDF estimated that worldwide 415 million people have diabetes and 93 million of these have diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that leads to blindness.

“The tragedy of diabetes-related blindness is that early detection and timely treatment of diabetic retinopathy can prevent vision loss and reduce the impact of diabetes on individuals, their families and society,” A/Professor Johnson said.

“Diabetes is still a leading cause of preventable eye damage and blindness in Australia despite the fact that we are a developed, wealthy nation.

“At least 165,000 Australians with diabetes have damage to their retina in their eye (retinopathy); diabetic macular oedema is the most common cause of vision loss and is on the increase.

“Rates of glaucoma are 12 times higher than in people with diabetes and rates of cataracts are 16 times.

“Unfortunately much of this is preventable. We need a more proactive systematic approach.

“Retinal screening programs in the United Kingdom, Iceland, Poland and Sweden have dramatically decreased the incidence of diabetes-related blindness.

Research shows that earlier diagnosis and treatment for diabetic retinopathy may prevent up to 98 per cent of sever vision loss.

“The current approach to eye examinations for Australians with diabetes is not systematic and, according Medicare data, 80 per cent of Indigenous and 50 per cent of non-Indigenous Australians with diabetes do not have an eye check at the frequency recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

“Diabetes-related eye disease is often asymptomatic until it reaches an advanced state and outcomes of late treatment are usually inferior to early intervention.”

A/Professor Greg Johnson called for a National Diabetes Blindness Prevention Initiative to help reduce the number of people who go blind unnecessarily.

“A National Diabetes Blindness Prevention Initiative would help better connect the capacity in general practice, optometry and ophthalmology services in Australia to serve the eye health needs of all people with diabetes,” he said.

“Lack of leadership and coordination poses a major barrier.”