Real Health: Tackling the growing burden of diabetes in Ireland with Professor David Keegan

"Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition caused by diabetes that damages the retina's blood vessels and can lead to vision loss if untreated."

"Diabetes globally is on the increase. I've just come back from a conference in Italy and it (diabetes) looks set to hit 10% of the population globally. We estimate in Ireland the number of people affected with diabetes is about 6% of the population."

Diabetic retinopathy results from diabetes-related damage to the retina's blood vessels, which can cause bleeding, fluid leakage, and impaired retinal function leading to progressive vision loss if not treated. The condition arises as a complication of sustained high blood glucose and can range from mild microvascular changes to more severe proliferative disease that threatens central vision. Global diabetes prevalence is increasing and is projected to approach 10% of the population, creating a growing pool of individuals at risk for diabetic retinopathy. In Ireland, current estimates place diabetes prevalence at about 6% of the population, indicating a substantial national burden of risk.

Read at Irish Independent