Ophthalmologists call on the community to prevent Diabetes-related vision loss
14th November 2022
This World Diabetes Day (today), the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (ASO) is drawing focal attention to the severe impacts the disease is having upon Australians and their sight.
Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among working-age Australians and is the fastest growing cause of vision loss in our First Nations People.
ASO Vice President Associate Professor Dr Ashish Agar said of the 1.2 million Australians diagnosed with diabetes, more than 100,000 people are experiencing sight-threatening eye disease.
“Alarmingly, in 90 per cent of cases, this is a complication of Type 2 diabetes — a largely preventable illness which is silently developing in more than 100,000 Australians each year,” A/Prof Agar said.
This year’s World Diabetes Day theme is focussed upon access to diabetes education, with the important theme “Education to protect tomorrow”.
The ASO is encouraging Type 2 diabetics to talk to their GP and/or ophthalmologist to find out how they can take steps to actively manage and potentially reverse the effects of the disease to protect their eyesight today, tomorrow and for the future.
