Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai screens 130 people on World Diabetes Day and diagnoses two with diabetes, demonstrating the value of screening

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23 November 2015 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): A team of volunteers fromMoorfields Eye Hospital Dubai screened 130 people in four hours (around one patient every two minutes) during World Diabetes Day 2015, to support Dubai Healthcare City’s public health screening campaign. The event took place on Saturday November 14th, at Burj Plaza in Downtown Boulevard, Dubai. The team confirmed that two visitors had diabetes – neither was aware of their condition.
The Moorfields team provided visitors with a medical history review, intra-ocular pressure tests, visualacuity checks, and retinal imaging, using state-of-the-art technology that is available at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai. Visitors received their reportswithin 10 minutes, along with a special discount offer for Lasik or Cosmetic Eye Surgery, while children enjoyed the Moorfields balloons and bracelets.
In addition to screening, eye experts from Moorfields stressed the need for regular screening and physical exercise to help prevent and treat the effects of diabetes that include eyecomplications that can cause blindness, if left uncontrolled.
Professor Robert Scott, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Medical Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, who joined the team of volunteers, said: “The World Diabetes Day screening was a great success and helped many members of the community understand the condition of their eyes. Our volunteer team also diagnosed two people with diabetes, which demonstrates the value of regular screening. Many people with diabetes have no symptoms until the eye disease is advanced. Regular eye screening should begin from an early age, regardless of whether there are vision symptoms or not.”
According to Moorfields, regular screening helps to diagnose the disease early and where vision has been lost, early simple medical treatment can help restore visual potential and prevent the requirement for more complex surgery later on.