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Increased public awareness of diabetic retinopathy needed for prevention
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HONG KONG — Even though science has advanced in developing therapies to treat diabetic retinopathy, public education is needed to help reduce the disease, a physician said here.
"The human factor in prevention of diabetic retinopathy is important - the eating habits, the exercise patterns, knowledge and self-discipline," Ian Constable, AO, MBBS, FRACS, FRACO, FRCS(ED), said. "Whether ophthalmology can have any impact on those cultural factors remains to be seen."
Dr. Constable spoke about diabetic retinopathy and its causes at the Arthur Lim Lecture. He received the Arthur Lim Award at the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Symposium held here at the World Ophthalmology Congress meeting.
He outlined the historical change in the world's food supply with the introduction of mass-produced sugar 135 years ago. He said the increase in processed sugars in packaged foods, coupled with change from a labor-intensive culture to a predominately sedentary culture, has contributed to what he called the type 2 diabetes epidemic.
Advances in ophthalmic medicine, including intravitreal triamcinolone and intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor, have scientifically contributed to treating the disease, but the human behavioral element is still an important factor in preventing the disease, Dr. Constable said.
Also at the symposium, Ronald LS Yeoh, MBBS, FAMS, FRCSE, FRCSG, FRCSE(Hon), FRCOphth, DO, was awarded the International Council of Ophthalmology Golden Apple Award for the Best Teacher in Clinical Ophthalmology in the Asia-Pacific Region 2008. The award is presented to honor the work of educators in ophthalmology.
Hugh Taylor, AC, MD, gave the Sir John Wilson Lecture at the symposium, speaking about the history of trachoma and how it can be prevented by improving facial hygiene.