The Ministry of Health has called on people with diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which are on the rise, to have their eyes checked regularly to prevent blindness and severe vision loss.
The appeal was made in a statement released to mark World Sight Day, Thursday, October 9, aimed at raising public awareness about the importance of eye care and protection.
Since 2000, the WHO, in cooperation with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), has organised World Sight Day on the second Thursday of every October.
The ministry has taken part every year, noting that the public need to be aware that 92.2% of visual impairment and severe vision loss in Cambodia can be prevented or treated.
This year’s theme is “Love Your Eyes”, with a focus on highlighting how many cases of blindness and serious vision loss are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes and hypertension, which are becoming more prevalent, both globally and in Cambodia.
The ministry used the occasion to urge people living with either of these conditions to visit eye clinics or hospitals for regular eye examinations and care.
The ministry also advised the general public to follow preventive health guidelines, especially the “less fat, less salt, less sugar” principles, to help reduce risks associated with non-communicable diseases.
Additionally, the ministry emphasised the importance of maintaining a regular exercise routine — at least 30 minutes per day, five days per week — and following medical guidance for the ongoing monitoring and treatment of diabetes and high blood pressure.
“We must all work together to prevent and reduce blindness and severe vision loss caused by diabetes and hypertension in the Kingdom of Cambodia, keeping these rates as low as possible,” it stated.
To achieve this, the ministry of Health developed the Third National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Blindness (2021–2030), which aims to reduce the prevalence of blindness in Cambodia to 0.35% by 2030.
However, the ministry acknowledged that non-communicable diseases are on the rise across Asia, including in Cambodia, where 4–6% of the population is estimated to have diabetes. In response, the ministry is intensifying public health education campaigns to raise awareness and encourage preventive care.
