Background

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, which seriously affects vision. Blood vessels that irrigate the retina are deteriorated, causing lost of fluid or blood; new fragile vessels are formed and can easily break causing a hemorrhage.

Fibrous tissue is also formed causing retina´s traction, in which cases the retina can be detached. All this translates into distortion and loss of vision.

The longer a person has diabetes the higher the risk of suffering this disease. Studies report that around 80% of diabetics have some degree of retinopathy after 10 to 15 years of suffering it.

At the beginning, the patients may not have any symptom, however when it gets worse, they may notice the presence of a visual distortion, spots, or even completely loss their vision.

The very high incidence of obesity and diabetes affects many people in our region, therefore DETECTING IT, AND TREATING IT ON TIME, is very important to prevent blindness due to this disease.

Therefore in 2005, doctors ERMILO SÁNCHEZ BUENFIL, ERMILO SÁNCHEZ VEGA and JHON WROBLESKI, initiate a campaign for diabetic patients. During this event, a large number of persons of limited resources are diagnosed and receive the treatment they need immediately. In this way, they contribute with their knowledge and experience for diabetic retinopathy treatment, as well as the technology for this purpose.

This labor has been active since 2005 in collaboration with different institutions of the Health Sector, mainly from the Health Services of the State of Yucatan. During the campaign, doctors and RetimediQ staff visit communities nearby for eye examinations, and the following days other groups of patients from other communities come to Retimediq to receive the attention. During the last two days of the campaign surgeries are scheduled for selected patients in need of a medical procedure. The patients are diagnosed and receive their treatment completely free.

Diagnosis

The doctors check patient’s retina detecting whether or not they show the signs of Diabetic Retinopathy.

Treatment

The patients that have been diagnosed, receive laser photocoagulation if they need it.