Date: 30th December, 2025
Venue: Library Seminar Hall, SMS Hospital, Jaipur
Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation, India’s largest patient-led diabetes organisation and a registered non-profit in collaboration with Rajasthan’s largest tertiary hospital, SMS hospital Jaipur organised Care for Vision: Retinal Health in Diabetes, a multi-stakeholder workshop focused on raising awareness, encouraging early detection, and improving management of diabetic eye complications. The event brought together people with lived experience of diabetes, leading ophthalmologists, physicians, public health experts, and government representatives under one roof.
Key highlights from the event:
Government perspective – NPCBVI:
Dr Dinesh Parikh, State Nodal Officer, National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI), highlighted diabetic retinopathy as a major and growing cause of preventable blindness among working-age adults in India. He emphasised that early detection and timely treatment can prevent the majority of diabetes-related vision loss, making routine retinal screening a critical public health intervention. Dr Parikh underscored the importance of integrating diabetic retinopathy screening within NPCBVI and NCD services, particularly at PHCs, CHCs, district hospitals, and NCD clinics, with clear referral linkages for diagnosis and treatment. He also spoke about the role of tele-ophthalmology, non-mydriatic fundus photography, task-shifting to trained eye-care personnel, and robust data systems to expand coverage and ensure equitable access to eye care across both urban and rural settings.
(Group photo from the event)
Patient-centred dialogue:
A unique, interactive, bilingual discussion in English and Hindi with ophthalmologists, vitreoretinal specialists, endocrinologists, and people living with diabetes explored prevention, timely screening, and access gaps in diabetic eye care.
Clinical and community insights:
Panel 1: Protecting Your Vision – The Role of Early Detection and Management focused on the silent progression of diabetic retinopathy, the importance of regular eye screening even in the absence of symptoms, and practical prevention and management strategies. The discussion included clinical perspectives from Dr Ashu Agarwal alongside patient representative Anant Goswami, bringing together medical and lived experience.
Panel 2: Hope for Every Eye – Advances in Diabetic Eye Care and Access highlighted recent advances in diagnostics and treatment, as well as challenges around access and affordability. Panelists emphasised timely diagnosis, stronger referral pathways, and public health efforts to prevent avoidable vision loss.
This was part of a national workshop series which began in Mumbai, followed by Hyderabad, Bengaluru & Delhi. The initiative aligns with the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs (Non Communicable Diseases) in September 2025, reinforcing the need for community-led, multisectoral efforts to protect vision and improve diabetes outcomes in India.
For media or partnership enquiries, contact:
nupur.lalvani@bluecircle.foundation or WhatsApp 9833910160
Website: www.bluecircle.foundation
