Eye specialists have raised concerns over the rising risk of vision loss among diabetic patients in Sri Lanka, highlighting the urgent need for regular eye care and improved surgical facilities.
At a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau yesterday, Dr. Kapila Bandusena, an eye surgeon, said that one in five people in the country is diabetic, and one in three diabetics suffer from some form of eye disease.
“Without proper medical treatment, many of these patients risk losing their vision,” Dr. Bandusena warned. He noted that cataracts are five times more common in diabetics than in the general population, while cataracts and glaucoma remain the most prevalent eye conditions among diabetic patients. He advised that diabetic individuals undergo an eye examination at least once a year, emphasizing that blindness from diabetes can occur suddenly, without warning.
Dr. K. R. Dayawansa, another eye surgeon, highlighted a growing infrastructure gap in eye care services. “Although we have enough qualified eye surgeons, the shortage of operating room facilities and essential surgical equipment has become a serious problem,” he said. Dr. Dayawansa added that some of the equipment at the National Eye Hospital is outdated, contributing to increasing waiting lists for surgeries.
The doctors called for urgent upgrades to medical facilities and increased public awareness to prevent diabetes-related blindness.
