Mexican Council of Ophthalmology stated that a person with diabetes takes 5-15 years to develop this complication, as per the care and clinical control they maintain. However, in half the cases there is delay in diagnosis by the general practitioner.

Diabetic retinopathy is the third leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. It is characterized by a gradual loss of vision due to the deterioration caused in the blood vessels of the retina by the elevated levels of glucose. This disease “is not very well known” by the first level doctors responsible for providing care and follow-up to diabetic patients, especially those who attend public institutions.

Reviews every six months prevents complications such as the formation of macular edema, which causes irreversible blindness. Although retinopathy is not curable, its progression can be reversed by an injection of antiangiogenic drugs, which regulate the formation of blood vessels within the eye.

According to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) for Latin America, Mexico has a high prevalence of diabetes but lacks awareness and sufficient services. The International Diabetes Federation and the International Federation on Old Age, surveyed patients with diabetes and retinopathy in Mexico and found that almost 20% never talked to their doctor about eye complications and 28% did so once symptoms appeared.

In addition, 43% of diabetic patients surveyed did not believe that their disease is well controlled and are four times more concerned about vision loss than about cardiovascular diseases that diabetes can bring. The results of the study reveal a lag in ophthalmological care for patients with diabetes, for not only those who live in cities but those in the most remote rural areas.

Noticiassin

According to the International Diabetes Federation, in 2015, the prevalence of diabetes in Mexico was estimated to be 14.7%, which translated to 17.6 million people affected by the condition. This indicator put Mexico above countries such as the United States (12.8%), Argentina (6.2%), Brazil (10.2%), Chile (11%) and Colombia (9.6%). The Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) disbursed USD 44 billion to treat the condition in 2015. The average cost of treatment per patient amounted to over USD 16,000 annually. Dulce Wireless Tijuana project, which began to take shape in 2011, is a multisectoral, binational effort carried out in the border areas of Mexico with the aim to improve monitoring and care provided to patients with diabetes, through the use of 3G wireless technology and the use of mobile devices feature phones in a first stage, later, smart phones or smartphones are implemented. The project demonstrated the positive impact of mobile technology in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Monitoring and control based on mobile technologies contribute to reducing some costs associated with standard treatment. Finally, the project not only generated positive impacts on the health of people, but also in digital literacy.