Sestre Milosrdnice University hospital and Institute of Clinical Medical Research
Abstract
New estimates show reduction in the number of people who are blind or suffer from vision impairment as a sequel of infectious diseases, while there is an increase in the number of people who are blind due to conditions related to longer life span and diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in active population in developed countries. Epidemiological studies evaluated the incidence and describe many facets of this disease the incidence of which is being followed in most countries. The aim of this paper is to present some epidemiological data on diabetic retinopathy caused by type 1 diabetes in Croatia, to compare them with other countries, and to evaluate its importance in causing severe visual impairments and blindness. These data are considered highly relevant because they are changing constantly and require continuous monitoring in spite of all advances in understanding the distribution, causes and severity of diabetic retinopathy. It is of great importance because the increasing burden of diabetes will pose ever greater burden on the population at large and on healthcare systems providing care for these patents.Najnovije procjene ukazuju na smanjenje broja slijepih osoba i osoba sa slabijim vidom uzrokovanih zaraznim bolestima, no sve je veći broj ljudi slijepih zbog bolesti vezanih za produženje životnog vijeka ljudi i dijabetes. Dijabetična retinopatija je vodeći uzrok sljepoće u radnoj populaciji u razvijenim zemljama. Mnoge epidemiološke studije su procijenile incidenciju i sagledale ovu bolest iz svih njezinih aspekata. Cilj ovoga rada je prikazati epidemiološke podatke o dijabetičnoj retinopatiji uzrokovanoj dijabetesom tip 1 u Hrvatskoj, te ih usporediti s podatcima iz drugih zemalja i ocijeniti koliko ona utječe na broj slijepih osoba i osoba sa slabijim vidom. Smatramo ove podatke bitnima unatoč napretku u saznanjima o mehanizmima, raspodjeli i uzrocima bolesti. Treba također naglasiti da se ovi podatci neprestance mijenjaju i zbog toga ih valja stalno pratiti. To je osobito važno zbog toga što dijabetes uzrokuje veliko opterećenje za zajednicu i zdravstveni sustav koji se skrbi o ovim bolesnicima
