The results of the 2014-2015 RAAB survey showed that 15 provinces in Indonesia had a blindness rate of more than three percent, with the highest cause of blindness being cataractsJakarta (ANTARA) - An official from the Health Ministry cited the 2014-2015 Rapid Assessment of Avoiding Blindness (RAAB) survey while highlighting that cataract was the leading cause of blindness in 15 provinces in Indonesia.
"The results of the 2014-2015 RAAB survey showed that 15 provinces in Indonesia had a blindness rate of more than three percent, with the highest cause of blindness being cataracts," the ministry's director general of disease prevention and control (P2P), Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, stated during a webinar titled "Healthy Eyes in the Digital Era" at the commemoration of 2022 World Sight Day on Thursday.
The official later remarked that other visual impairments, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, were on the rise as cases of diabetes increased. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that one in three diabetics is at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
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"On the other hand, the refractive rate continues to increase. Some 3.6 million people in the age group of 10 to 14 years are estimated to have refractive errors. Some 2.7 million, or 25 percent of them, have not been corrected with glasses,” Rondonuwu remarked.
He also explained that the shift in disease patterns to non-communicable diseases (PTM) is also based on lifestyles, such as alcohol consumption, fast food, and smoking. This results in high obesity that ultimately has an impact on eye health.
Through the commemoration of World Sight Day themed “Our Healthy Eyes,” the government is keen to control visual impairment and blindness by using a community-based approach.
Rondonuwu hopes that the public would diligently get their eye checkup done, with the vulnerable groups being school children and the elderly as well as people with diabetes.
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"World Sight Day will be focusing on eye health, specifically taking care of our eyes, and the second is handling cataracts and refractive errors. We want to overcome vision problem, according to the target of Global Eye Health in 2030," Rondonuwu stated.
He acknowledged that the challenges faced during the pandemic era made information and communication technology an inseparable part of daily activities. To this end, he expressed optimism that health workers would provide good counseling to the public to understand the importance of maintaining eye health.
"I hope that efforts to control visual impairment would continue to be carried out, starting from early detection, to avoid the risk that can worsen the condition and result in blindness," Rondonuwu added.
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Translator: Fitra Ashari, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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