Diabetic eye disease is one of the leading causes of blindness which can be prevented in over 90% of cases with early detection. The clinically validated RetinaRisk algorithm empowers patients and doctors alike by accurately calculating the risk of sight-threatening eye disease, while at the same time leading to efficiency and substantial savings in healthcare cost. Risk factors like Hba1c and blood pressure are taken into account.
RetinaRisk, a health-tech company from Iceland, has collaborated with Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, to develop a new mathematical tool tailored for the Indian population. This tool aims to assess the risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy, a severe form of retinopathy that can cause vision loss. By enabling early detection, it has the potential to reduce blindness resulting from diabetes.
Dr. Harshit Vaidya – Retina Specialist attended an inspiring session with a team of RetinaRisk at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai.
Dr Vaidya eye hospital is among the first users of this algorithm, which holds great promise for the patients. Dr. Rajiv Raman from Sankara Nethralaya helped to get this opportunity. Dr. Harshit Vaidya met the team of RetinaRisk, including their Chairman, Mr. Bala Kamallakharan, and their CEO, Aegir bor Steinarrson.
India, unfortunately, carries the burden of being the world’s Diabetes capital, with approximately 80 million individuals affected by the condition. This puts a significant portion of the population at risk of diabetes-related vision hazards. According to the CDC, 90% of diabetes-related vision loss can be prevented through early detection and treatment. By utilizing this mathematical tool, we can accurately identify individuals at risk of vision loss due to diabetes and refer them to the appropriate eye specialists.
FAQs
How is patients’ annualized risk determined?
The annualized risk is calculated by a proprietary algorithm based on major, well-established risk factors for the development of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy. The algorithm has been validated for high predictive accuracy in Icelandic, Danish and Dutch diabetes cohorts.
Is the algorithm applicable to a variety of patient races and ethnicities?
The algorithm has been clinically validated and extensively used in clinical settings in Europe, the United States, Asia and Africa. The extensive clinical validation in Northern European diabetes cohorts of over 25.000 diabetic patients included a variety of races and ethnicities. Our team has also finalized a validation of the RetinaRisk algorithm in an Indian diabetic population, in collaboration with the Sankara Nethralaya Hospital in Chennai, where the RetinaRisk algorithm was again found to be extremely robust.
What causes diabetic retinopathy?
The longer a person has diabetes, the higher their chances of developing diabetic retinopathy. Prolonged periods of high blood sugar levels cause damage to the small blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye. The retina is the film at the back of the eye, which receives light images and sends them to your brain. A healthy retina is essential for good vision. These blood vessels initially become leaky and then may become blocked off. The leaky vessels can lead to haemorrhages (spots of bleeding), fluid and exudates (fats) to escape from the blood vessels onto the retina. This may also cause swelling, known as edema of the retina. The blocked vessels can starve the retina of oxygen, leading to the growth of new abnormal vessels from the retina, and damage to the retina due to lack of oxygen. Good control of diabetes by controlling the blood sugar level helps to reduce the chances of developing retinopathy.
What are the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy may be asymptomatic until at an advanced stage and then it is often too late for effective treatment. Therefore, effective management of diabetes and regular eye examinations are imperative. Initially, diabetic retinopathy may cause few or mild symptoms but, as the disease progresses, it can lead to blindness. The main symptoms of diabetic retinopathy are blurred vision, black spots, flashes of light, and holes in your vision. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.