В Папуа — Новой Гвинее живут 1,2 млн человек с катарактой, число пациентов с диабетическими поражениями зрения растет

AN estimated 1.2 million persons in Papua New Guinea live with a preventable eye condition called cataracts, says Pacific International Hospital ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon, Dr Muhammad Imran. Imran, observing lifestyle trends in PNG, said these numbers may increase in a few years, with more young people losing their sight to diabetes-related eye diseases like cataracts. “I’ve seen in regions where processed food and soft drink availability is easy, diabetes and high blood prevalence is getting very high,” he said. “Port Moresby, Lae and Bougainville have more common diabetes, also mining areas where free food is provided without any nutritious control.” Imran said while the main cause of cataract was old age (over 60 years), diabetes was the second most common cause of this eye condition. A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s lens, which lies behind the iris and pupil. It usually develops gradually, causing symptoms such as blurry vision, glare, difficulty seeing at night, and faded colours. Imran said people with diabetes were at a higher risk of developing them earlier, as chronically high blood sugar levels accelerated this process. “Most of our young people will be affected in the future, if we don’t control the systemic conditions now,” he said. Imran, through PIH’s Lila Foundation, travels PNG, based on partnerships with provincial health authorities and private organisations, to hold eye camps or clinics, carry out eye examinations and perform surgeries, specifically for people with cataracts. He explained that a cataract was preventable, meaning, that sight could be restored through surgery, while in its early stages. “If left untreated and goes to late stages, it will convert to another condition called glaucoma — this will lead to permanent blindness,” he said. Imran said a lack of awareness, specialists and equipment was resulting in increasing number of people missing out on treatment that can improve their vision. He said government hospitals have had no eye surgeries for the past few years and there were backlogs of patients in need of appropriate examinations and surgery. He said there was also a lack of data collected on this condition and the treatment. Apart from Imran, there were only 13 ophthalmologists in the country — six based in Port Moresby, while others were scattered across the country. Imran specialises in vitreoretinal, the part of the eye involving the vitreous gel and the retina, including diseases and surgical treatments affecting these structures. He is the only vitreoretinal surgeon in PNG.