In Focus: Celebrating Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month

A global campaign for Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month in November was led by advice and resources from various organisations, including the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Prevent Blindness America (PBA) and the US National Eye Institute. As the prevalence of diabetes increased worldwide, the importance of screening for diabetes and diabetes-related eye diseases has risen on the agenda for health professionals. By 2040, about 224 million (35%) people worldwide will have some form of diabetic retinopathy (DR), in addition, 70 million (11%) people will have vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy, according to the IAPB.