Non-communicable diseases, especially hypertension and diabetes, are fueling an alarming rise in eye problems, a new study by the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology shows.

The report titled “An Epidemiological Study of Ocular Diseases in the Kathmandu District of Nepal: Kathmandu Eye Study” the population-level assessment of the prevalence of blindness and vision impairment, published last week, shows that most people above 40 years of age (97.7 percent) from the Kathmandu Valley, were diagnosed with some form of eye disease.

“Of total participants, 69.4 percent of them had hypertension and 47.2 percent of them had diabetes,” the report stated. “Among participants with hypertension, one percent had hypertensive retinopathy and 7.3 percent of those with diabetes had diabetic retinopathy.”

Doctors say hypertensive retinopathy is damage to retinas from long-term high blood pressure. Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the retina due to a high blood sugar.

Along with hypertension and diabetes, overweight and obesity have emerged as serious problems in the population of the Valley, which is considered a major risk factor for several non-communicable diseases that ultimately fuelled eye problems.

According to the report 43.53 percent of the total participants were overweight while 23 percent were obese. Of the total newly diagnosed patients having high blood sugar, 1.6 percent were found to have diabetic retinopathy.

“Prevalence of non-communicable diseases—hypertension and diabetes—among people above 40 years of age have been found at alarming level in Kathmandu,” said Dr Reeta Gurung, chief executive officer at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, “High blood pressure and high blood sugar affect overall health, including eye health.”

The burden of non-communicable diseases has risen alarmingly in recent years. The Nepal Burden of Disease 2017 report had attributed two-thirds (66 percent) of total deaths to non-communicable diseases, while the figure jumped to 71.1 percent in the 2019 report.

The Global Burden of Disease 2021 has shown that non-communicable diseases are responsible for 73 percent of total deaths.

Likewise,a report published in The Lancet, a leading international medical journal, a few months ago, warned that half of Nepal’s adult population will be overweight or obese by 2050.

In Nepal, the obesity rate in males increased from 11.7 percent in 1990 to 29.5 percent in 2021, and from 13.9 percent to 28.1 percent in females. Without any intervention, by 2050, these figures are projected to increase to 52.2 percent in males and 47.8 percent in females.

The World Health Organisation said that many low- and middle-income countries like Nepal are now facing a ‘double burden’ —under-nutrition as well as a rapid upsurge in obesity-related cases, particularly in the urban areas.

Public health experts say it is high time to focus on non-communicable diseases, as their prevalence has risen alarmingly.

“We should all be aware of the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, which not only affect overall personal health but also increase financial burden and stress on families,” said Gurung, who is also a reputed ophthalmologist and cornea expert.

“We must avoid a sedentary lifestyle to prevent obesity problems, the root cause of most non-communicable diseases. Early diagnosis and timely, quality care make a huge difference.”

The study was carried out on 4,990 people above 40 years of age. Selected participants were brought to Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology for full eye checkups and other general health examinations.

Of the total participants, 43.53 percent were overweight, while 23 percent were obese. Of the total newly diagnosed patients having high blood sugar, 1.6 percent were found to have diabetic retinopathy.

The study also found that one in ten people with blindness did not seek eye consultation, which indicated persistent unmet needs within the community.

The report also stresses the need to integrate eye health into the general healthcare system and calls for implementing comprehensive eye screening programmes periodically, along with targeted community education.

According to the report, strengthening eye health in Kathmandu requires integrating eye care within the general health system.

“Health promotion strategies should be focused on addressing NCD-related risks such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes,” the report stated.