In an effort to prevent and treat non-communicable diseases in Trinidad and
Tobago, the North Central Regional Health Authority established the Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service (DRSS) at the St. Joseph Enhanced Health Facility, in June 2022. Since inception, approximately nine hundred (900) diabetic patients had their vision screened by our highly qualified eye-care specialists for Diabetic Retinopathy.
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases plaguing Trinidad and Tobago. It affects how a person’s body turns food into energy, and as a result, can adversely affect many organs in the body, leading to medical complications such as strokes, heart disease, and even kidney failure. Diabetic Retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the back of the eye (retina). If left undetected or untreated, it can lead to permanent vision loss.
“The Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service (DRSS) utilizes modern and cutting-edge technology to photograph and examine a patient’s retina (back of the eye) for diabetic damage. If our eye-care specialists identifies an issue with the image, the patient is then expedited to the Ophthalmology Clinic at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex or Arima General Hospital for further treatment. This simple, yet proactive approach allows our specialists to make favourable interventions towards the preservation of the patient’s overall vision,” explained Dr. Shivana Persad – Acting Consultant, Ophthalmology
Department.
