Date:30/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/30/stories/2006083021190400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Symposium to shed light on eye disorders

Staff Reporter

Health Minister to inaugurate Indira Eye Institute for Diabetes Minister to inaugurate institute for diabetes

CHENNAI : A two-day symposium on eye disorders in diabetes will begin at Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) on Saturday.

Eighteen ophthalmologists from across the country and over 100 delegates from the State will participate in the symposium, which will focus on research to practice, medical and surgical management for people at risk or affected by diabetes-related eye disorders.

Recent research results have found that people with diabetes are easily prone to glaucoma. The Chennai urban rural epidemiology study conducted on people with type-2 diabetes found that one in five had diabetic retinopathy. The studies showed alarming results. "Screening for diabetic retinopathy with timely detection can prevent visual impairment in 90 per cent of the cases," said M. Rema, chief ophthalmologist of Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre.

Forty per cent of diabetics develop diabetic retinopathy after 15 years of diabetes. Also, uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to cataract formation. People with diabetes are 2.23 times more at risk for glaucoma. Even slight infections in other parts of the body can infect the eye causing optic neuritis. Delineating a host of diseases that the eye could be subjected to, Dr. Rema said mild to moderate visual loss could be corrected fully if baseline vision was good.

Studies have found that diabetic retinopathy was found to cluster in families (the disease is hereditary).

But, advanced testing and treatment procedures could help to detect and correct/control changes in the retina if the problems were diagnosed early, Dr. Rema said.

Health Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran will inaugurate the Indira Eye Institute for Diabetes to be housed behind the MDRF in Gopalapuram.