A huge surge in the prevalence of diabetes right across Latin America has led to further complications on vision loss. In Peru, diabetic retinopathy is the sixth leading cause of blindness. All diabetic patients are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy which is irreversible, but can be avoided if detected early enough and managed properly.
However, according to Lions International Eye Foundation, only half of the 55,000 adults over the age of 30 with diabetes in La Libertad have been diagnosed.