Kenya urged to close gaps in retinal care to prevent avoidable vision loss
Kenya needs to strengthen screening, referral and continuity of care for retinal diseases as the growing number of people diagnosed with diabetes and an ageing population increase the risk of preventable vision loss, doctors have warned. More than 813,000 adults in Kenya are living with diabetes, with over 54 per cent of cases currently undiagnosed, […] The post Kenya urged to close gaps in…
Kenya is urged to address gaps in retinal care to prevent avoidable vision loss, as the country faces a growing number of diabetes cases and an ageing population. Over 813,000 adults in Kenya are living with diabetes, with over 54 per cent currently undiagnosed. Vitreoretinal surgeon Dr Mahesh Chandargi warns that one in four people living with diabetes may develop diabetic eye complications, with diabetic retinopathy affecting up to 41 per cent of Kenyan adults living with diabetes.
Access to specialised retinal services remains limited, with only about 10 retinal specialists working in seven centres, mainly in Nairobi. The need for regular screening and timely treatment is crucial due to the lack of symptoms in the early stages of diabetic eye complications.
Brief written by urgent.news from KBC's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
