By Nicholas Dekera
No fewer than 578 million people worldwide are likely to become diabetic by the year 2030 if necessary measures are not taken to control the increasing rate of diabetic patients
The Chief Medical Director National Eye Centre Kaduna represented by a Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist,
Dr. Murtala Umar stated this while making a presentation on the topic;.”Diabetes and the Eye” during a media health day organized by the Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CAMPAN) in Kaduna.
He pointed out that a diabetic patient could become blind eventually if not treated at early stages of discovery.
Dr Umar said although the body cannot function effectively without sugar but warns that poorly controlled sugar level could affect several organs of the body and when it affects the eye, it could result into blindness.
He disclosed that the current statistics which varies from time to time has it that 463 million adults are presently diabetic, adding that, ” it has the tendencies of rising to 578 million globally by 2030, if unchecked.
“Consistent high sugar level damages blood vessels and other organs, eg the kidney, heart, eye, liver, and brain but the eye shows quick damage which is a window to the brain.
“Retina can be affected by diabetes which could lead to blindness. Poorly controlled diabetes lead to cataract and other eye challenges. Watery eyes and discharges could be as a result of diabetes complications”.
Dr. Umar further disclosed that million of deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year, adding that both the number of cases and the prevalence of diabetes have been steadily increasing over the past few decades.
As part of measures to the increasing rate of diabetes amongst people, he advocates regular creation of awareness, sensitization on effective working of the pancreas, consumption of more vegetables, chicken and fish and avoidance of excessive consumption of sugar or food with too much of sugar content
