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Diabetic retinopathy crisis will change researchers’ role
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SINGAPORE — Diabetic retinopathy is one of the challenges facing Asian ophthalmologists today, said Arthur Lim, MD, FRCS, referring to reports from the World Health Organization.
“It is quite clear that diabetes mellitus, in particular type II diabetes, will explode into a crisis,” he said. “[Diabetes and diabetic retinopathy] will become the major concern of the next 10 years.”
Because of this concern, he said the research physician will play a more important role in ophthalmology.
Prof. Lim’s remarks about the state of Asian ophthalmology came during the Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons’ (APACRS) annual meeting held in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) here. He described the “awakening” of Asian ophthalmology in 1990, when the Singapore National Eye Center opened. This awakening, coupled with the establishment of the Singapore Eye Research Institute in 1996, is helping to bring Asian research centers up to the standards of their European and U.S. counterparts, he said.
“This has become one of the most important centers in the world,” he said.
Doctors should always be mindful of the current state of ophthalmology, the goals of organizations of such as APAO and APACRS and, in particular, the current role of the eye surgeon, Prof. Lim said.
“Today’s doctor must be abreast of the latest research so as to be able to choose the best for his patients,” he said.
Prof. Lim said research centers, such as the one in Singapore, will help surgeons in that region of the world gain access to the best innovations in the most timely manner.