Chennai: On World Retina Day 2024, experts warn that the world is experiencing a growing epidemic of vision loss, with an estimated one billion people living with visual impairments.

Urgent action is essential to address this public health crisis.

Alarmingly, 90% of blindness cases are preventable or treatable. Retinal diseases, including diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic macular edema (DME), and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), pose a significant threat to vision.

Currently, 21 million people suffer from DME, a leading cause of vision loss among working-age adults, while nAMD affects 20 million seniors.

India alone accounts for one-third of the world's blind population, with over 11 million individuals affected by retinal disorders.

The socio-economic burden of vision loss is staggering, with global productivity losses of $410.9 billion in 2020 alone.

Despite improvements in cataract and glaucoma management through initiatives like the National Program for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI), there is an urgent need to enhance focus on retinal health.

Retinal disorders have increased significantly, from 4.7% to 8% of blindness cases in India from 2010 to 2019.

Barriers to effective treatment include a shortage of trained specialists, lack of standardized protocols, and limited public awareness about retinal health.

Innovative therapies targeting both the VEGF and Ang-2 pathways are essential to stabilize retinal blood vessels and prevent irreversible vision loss.

As Dr. Girish Rao and Dr. Pramod Bhende emphasize, a concerted effort involving policy changes, awareness initiatives, and advanced treatments is vital to combat this growing challenge.