15% of Omanis suffer from diabetes

The Sultanate of Oman has become the third country in the world to screen for diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetes using artificial intelligence technologies, underscoring its alignment with technical and digital advancements in adopting the latest innovations and leveraging AI to enhance and improve diagnostic accuracy, while saving time and costs in detecting diabetic retinopathy.

The Oman News Agency, as reported by The Associated Press today, stated that the project’s significance lies in its ability to address the major challenges faced by diabetic patients in the Sultanate. Diabetic retinopathy is a serious complication that can lead to blindness. Statistics confirm that 15 percent of adults in Oman suffer from diabetes, meaning a significant proportion of them are at risk of developing retinopathy.

The project aims to establish a national framework for the early detection and management of diabetic retinopathy, reduce vision loss and blindness resulting from it, and improve access to high-quality eye care services for diabetic patients. It targets all individuals diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, with the frequency of screening determined according to the severity of diabetic retinopathy.