Economic burden of avoidable blindness due to diabetic macular edema in Ecuador.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

In Ecuador, the economic burden of diabetes-related visual impairment has not been studied cohesively. More evidence-that takes into account lost productivity, direct costs, and intangible costs-is required to support public policies that prevent and treat diabetes-related visual impairment.

Objective

The purpose of this research is to estimate the economic burden of avoidable blindness due to diabetic macular edema in Ecuador.

Methods

Costs were estimated in a one-year, retrospective, cost-of-illness study focusing on two groups of people. The first group contains those that have become blind because of a lack of timely medical treatment for diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME). The second group contains those that could avoid blind

SUBMITTER: Lucio R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12301294 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature