Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness.
Significant risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include a patient’s age, duration of diabetes, control of blood sugar levels, etc. People from South Asian communities are also at higher risk of having diabetic retinopathy.
While it is not possible to have much influence on age, duration, and ethnicity, there is a lot we can do to help improve uptake of retinopathy screening, and the control of diabetes, which is the primary aim of our research on Diabetic Retinopathy. We work with a number of international collaborators:
India: with support from the College of Optometrists and Lions Club International, we collaborate with Sankhara Nethralaya Eye Hospital in Chennai to improve attendance for retinal screening. We are also running a clinical trial in collaboration with the Kurseong sub-divisional hospital, Darjeling, ‘improving the management of diabetes and its eye problems in India'.
China: working with Second Affiliated Medical College in Hangzhou, we have identified factors that affect diabetic retinopathy.
Thailand: with the support of the Ministry of Public Health, we aim to increase retinal screening in five regions of the country.
Spain: support from Seneca Foundation has let us set up a programme to examine the control of diabetes through increased physical activity.
Nepal: with support from the Global Challenges Research Fund, a culturally appropriate diabetic intervention to reduce the risk of retinopathy enables us to collaborate with Gandaki Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Pokhara and conduct a clinical trial, 'improving the management of diabetes and its eye problems in Nepal'.
The Anglia Ruskin University Diabetic Retinopathy Awareness and Prevention Programme (ARUDRAPP) is a major part of our research on Diabetic Retinopathy.
Professor Shahina Pardhan
Dr Raju Sapkota
Recent publications
Pardhan, S., Nakafero, G., Raman, R., Sapkota, R., 2020. Barriers to diabetes awareness and self-help are influenced by people's demographics: perspectives of South Asians with type 2 diabetes. Ethnicity & Health, 25(6), pp. 843-861. doi: 10.1080/13557858.2018.1455809
Kumar, S., Kumar, G., Velu, S., Pardhan, S., Sivaprasad, S., Ruamviboonsuk, P., Raman, R., 2020. Patient and provider perspectives on barriers to screening for diabetic retinopathy: An exploratory study from southern India. BMJ Open, 10(12). doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037277
López-Sánchez, G. F., Sánchez-Castillo, S., López-Bueno, R., Pardhan, S., Zauder, R., Skalska, M., Jastrzębska, J., Jastrzębski, Z., Smith, L., 2020. Comparison of physical activity levels in Spanish people with diabetes with and without cataracts. European Journal of Public Health, 30(6), pp. 1201-1215. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa104
Sapkota, R., Chen, Z., Zheng, D., Pardhan, S., 2019. The profile of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy in patients attending a specialist eye clinic in Hangzhou, China. BMJ Open Ophthalmology, 4(1). doi: 10.1136/bmjophth-2018-000236
López Sánchez, G. F., Smith, L., Raman, R., Jaysankar, D., Singh, S., Sapkota, R., Díaz Suárez, A., Pardhan, S., 2019. Physical activity behaviour in people with diabetes residing in India: A cross-sectional analysis. Science and Sports, 34(1), pp. e59-e66. doi: 10.1016/j.scispo.2018.08.005
López-Sánchez, G. F., Smith, L., Zheng, D., Sapkota, R., Yang, L., Chen, Z. and Pardhan, S., 2019. Physical activity behaviour in people with diabetes residing in China: A cross-sectional analysis. Science and Sports, 34(3), pp. 178-180. doi: 10.1016/j.scispo.2018.11.004
Sapkota, R. P., Upadhyaya, T., Gurung, G., Parker, M., Raman, R., Pardhan, S., 2018. Need to improve awareness and treatment compliance in high-risk patients for diabetic complications in Nepal. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care, 6(1). doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2018-000525
Jain, M., Devan, S., Jaisankar, D., Swaminathan, G., Pardhan, S., Raman, R., 2018. Pupillary Abnormalities with Varying Severity of Diabetic Retinopathy. Scientific Reports, 8(1). doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-24015-9
Neriyanuri, S., Pardhan, S., Gella, L., Pal, S. S., Ganesan, S., Sharma, T., Raman, R., 2017. Retinal sensitivity changes associated with diabetic neuropathy in the absence of diabetic retinopathy. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 101(9), pp. 1174-1178. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2016-309641