CHENNAI: On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, Rajan Retina Foundation and the Rotary Club of Madras, T Nagar launched a project ROGOS —Rotary Gift of Sight for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening, on Tuesday at Rajan Eye Care Hospital in T Nagar.
Dr Mohan Rajan, chairman and MD, Rajan Eye care, said, “The prevalence of diabetes in India is 15% in urban areas and 10% in rural areas,” he said. “Over 20% of diabetic patients eventually develop diabetic retinopathy (DR). It’s a public health problem. If diagnosed early, it can be treated effectively. Visual loss is the last stage symptom of it.”
Rajan Eye Care also launched the Blind Free India van (Nethra Vahana), fitted with medical equipment for screening and treatment of DR, taking tertiary eye care to rural areas. And at the event, one more advanced technology was launched. “This is a portable, mobile Fundus camera, with Remedio. This can be handheld and taken by the technician to interior areas for door to door examinations,” he says, adding that using this camera, pictures of the retina can be taken even without dilation of the pupil.
Dr Manoj also announced that Rajan Eye Care has joined hands with Global Mantra Innovations to create an Artificial Intelligence programme called Disease Management Analytics where the computer will be able to detect DR by analysing the photographs.
The guest of honour, Dr Vijay Viswanathan, chairman, MV Hospitals for Diabetes, said, “We need more such initiatives to bring international standard treatment to India at such affordable costs,” he said. The chief guest, N Gopalaswami also commended the work of Rajan Eye care and Global Mantra Innovations. Dr Manoj Khatri and Rotarian A Perikaruppan, president of Rotarian Club of Madras, T Nagar, were also present at the event.