Blind trachoma has been eliminated. Chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are becoming the main factors causing eye disability and blindness in Chinese people.

　　In the past 20 years, the spectrum of eye diseases in my country has undergone major changes

　　In February of this year, "The Lancet-Global Health" published the "Specially Invited Major Report on Global Eye Health" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"). The report estimates that in 2020, 1.1 billion people worldwide will suffer from untreated vision impairment. , It is estimated that by 2050, this number will increase to 1.8 billion.

However, more than 90% of vision loss can be prevented or treated with existing, cost-effective interventions.

Wang Ningli, the co-author of the report and dean of Beijing Tongren Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, said in an interview with a reporter from China Youth Daily and China Youth Daily that with the development of society, the aging population and the changes in people’s lifestyles, eye diseases in our country have even caused The spectrum of disability and blindness has also changed.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are becoming an important factor in the disability and blindness of the eyes of our people.

Blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy is the first cause of blindness among the working population in my country

　　Wang Ningli told reporters that diabetes surpassed other chronic diseases in the "contribution" of visual impairment, especially blindness.

In my country, the prevalence of diabetes has reached 12% to 13%, and there are hundreds of millions of people. More than 30% of them will develop retinopathy due to diabetes. If the detection and intervention are not timely, it can even cause disability and blindness.

Blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy has become the first cause of blindness among the working population in our country.

As diabetic patients get younger and younger, diabetic retinopathy is no longer an exclusive disease for the elderly. Many cases of 40 and 50 years old have been clinically found, which reminds us that young patients with diabetes need to pay more attention to eye health.

In addition, high blood pressure is also an important factor of eye disability and blindness. It is related to fundus diseases and can cause retinal arteriovenous occlusion and fundus hemorrhage.

　　Wang Ningli emphasized that various eye diseases caused by chronic diseases can be prevented and controlled as long as early detection, early intervention, and early treatment are achieved.

Therefore, as a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference last year, he submitted a proposal to "include blinding eye disease as a chronic disease in the national chronic disease screening and management" at the two sessions last year, suggesting that fundus photography should be included in the national chronic disease screening project. Don't lose the window period for prevention and treatment.

This proposal has attracted great attention from the country.

Elimination of blinding trachoma is a great pioneering work of New China

　　"Global Eye Health Specially Invited Major Report" is a summary report on the "Vision 2020" initiative initiated by the World Health Organization.

"Vision 2020" is a joint initiative of the World Health Organization and the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness. It aims to eliminate major avoidable blindness worldwide in 2020, including cataracts, trachoma, river blindness, child blindness, refractive errors and low vision.

　　Wang Ningli told reporters that my country's work goals for the past 20 years are carried out around the "Vision 2020" action plan.

The main focus is on how to increase the rate of cataract surgery, how to prevent and control early, how to intervene in retinopathy of prematurity, how to do a good job in neonatal eye disease screening, and ultimately eliminate blinding trachoma.

　　"my country has more than 3,000 cataract operations per million people in 2020. More important than this number is the coverage rate of cataract operations. In 2014, the coverage rate of cataract operations in my country has reached 62%. The latest data is being counted. , It is expected to be higher." Wang Ningli said.

　　He introduced that in terms of neonatal eye disease screening, my country has established a neonatal eye disease screening system. Through the existing maternal and child health care system, the screening rate of newborns has been increased. Eye care and vision examinations for children aged 0-6 have been improved. The coverage rate and the establishment of electronic vision health files have been included in the assessment system, and the coverage rate of eye care and vision examinations for children between 0 and 6 years old is required to reach 90% each year.

Especially for the prevention and treatment of retinopathy of prematurity, the country has issued relevant guidelines and established a joint screening system, which has greatly reduced the incidence and severity of the disease.

　　When it comes to eliminating blinding trachoma, Wang Ningli is very emotional. He believes that this is a great initiative made by the new China under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and it is also a contribution brought to the world by the Chinese ophthalmology community and the microbiology community.

　　He recalled that after the founding of New China, the prevalence of trachoma in rural areas in our country reached almost 90%. At that time, the prevalence of trachoma in Shanghai was relatively good, and the prevalence of trachoma also exceeded 50%. Therefore, at that time, there was a saying in my country that there were “ten people and nine sand” .

Trachoma was the first blinding eye disease in China at that time.

Since the 1950s, the Party Central Committee has paid great attention to the prevention and treatment of trachoma, and established two research institutes-the Institute of Virology and the Institute of Ophthalmology.

After research, it was discovered in 1956 that trachoma was caused by chlamydia, and the prevention and treatment measures were also very simple. As long as you pay attention to hygiene, wash your hands with soap, use towels separately, cut off the source of virus transmission, and use broad-spectrum antibiotics, it can be cured.

After that, under the guidance of the World Health Organization, China has carried out a large-scale patriotic health campaign and trachoma prevention and treatment work for nearly 30 years. By the 1980s, my country's trachoma had been controlled quite well.

　　A sample survey in 2000 showed that my country's active trachoma has fallen below the standards set by the World Health Organization.

In 2011, under the guidance of the World Health Organization, Professor Wang Ningli led the team to carry out a more than one-year assessment and screening called "Final Elimination of Trachomatism". Data in 2014 showed that my country's active trachoma and trachomatic trichiasis were affected. The rates are far below the 5% and 0.1% standards set by the WHO.

In 2015, at the 68th World Health Assembly, Li Bin, the former director of China's National Health and Family Planning Commission, solemnly announced: In 2014, China met the requirements of the World Health Organization for the eradication of blinding trachoma.

　　"Trachoma is no longer a public health problem in China. As a country with a population of 1.4 billion, China has eliminated blinding trachoma. This is a great measure in the history of trachoma prevention and treatment in the world." Wang Ningli commented.

　　China Youth Daily·China Youth Daily reporter Xia Jin Source: China Youth Daily