Prevent Blindness from Diabetes: Diabetics Must Regularly Check Their Retina

A professor of ophthalmology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Muhammad Bayu Sasongko, has reminded the public that diabetic retinopathy remains the leading cause of blindness among diabetes sufferers in Indonesia. The disease often goes unnoticed because it produces no symptoms in its early stages.

Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the small blood vessels in the retina, which functions to send visual information to the brain. Because it is located inside the eyeball, the damage cannot be seen from the outside, so many patients feel their eyes are still normal even though bleeding or fat deposits have already occurred.

“Diabetic retinopathy is indeed not widely known because it is located inside the eyeball. In fact, damage to the small blood vessels in the retina has already occurred, which can cause bleeding as well as the accumulation of fat and protein,” said Bayu during a discussion in Jakarta on Monday (20/7/2026).

According to the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey (SKI), the prevalence of diabetes has reached 11.7%, or around 32 million people. Data from BPJS Kesehatan show that of the 12 million patients receiving regular treatment, some 5.2 million have already developed diabetic retinopathy, and 1.2 million require serious medical procedures such as laser treatment or surgery.

Bayu explained that the risk of retinal damage increases the longer a person has diabetes, particularly if accompanied by hypertension, high cholesterol, and smoking habits. Early symptoms are often very subtle, such as slightly dim vision or less vivid colours, so many patients only seek help once their condition has become severe.

To address this problem, the Diabetic Retinopathy Initiative (DRIVE) has been established — a population-based retina screening system integrated with national health services. The programme is currently being trialled in four regions of Indonesia (Western, Central, Eastern, and Sulawesi) using portable fundus camera technology.

“Retina screening is actually very easy to carry out. With a retinal photograph, the condition of the eyes can be detected early. We hope this service becomes increasingly accessible so that blindness can be prevented before severe visual impairment arises,” he concluded. (Z-10)