Important Information on Diabetes and Your Eyes
The National Eye Institute recognizes November as National Diabetes Month! So, here’s a quick quiz:
Did you know that diabetes affects an estimated 25.8 million people in the United States?
Did you also know that your eyes are one part of the body that can be seriously affected by the disease?
It’s True
In fact, diabetic eye disease is the leading cause of vision loss among working-age adults in the U.S.
Diabetes wreaks havoc on the entire body – causing all sorts of health problems. One of the most damaging and dangerous impacts of diabetes on the human body is the way that diabetes can lead to something called diabetic eye disease.
Diabetic eye disease then leads to something called diabetic retinopathy, which is the most common form of this disease and can lead to blindness. It affects about 28.5 percent of Americans over the age of 40 (about 7 million) who have diabetes according to the National Eye Institute (NEI).
A diagnosis of diabetes, either type one or type two, generally means that your body does not produce enough insulin or use it well. Accordingly changes in lifestyle, medication and sometimes even insulin injections are necessary.
Controlling blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels are some of the most talked about courses for diabetics. But, another very important part of managing the disease, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI), is getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least one time a year.
If you already have been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important to understand that there may not be any signs of symptoms of diabetic retinopathy’s onset. So, this is why the Institute’s advice for annual eye exams is so critical. Once this disease has advanced, symptoms such as dark spots (floaters), blurred vision, fluctuating vision, dark areas in their vision, color perception loss and eventually vision loss will be experienced.
For those suffering from diabetic retinopathy, the NEI wants to increase awareness of their Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net) that conducts large multi-center trials of new therapies for diabetic eye disease. If you qualify or are interested in more information it can be found at clinicaltrails.gov (reference trial NCT01627249).
Diabetes is a serious disease that requires close watch and management. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes but haven’t seen your eye doctor in a while, make it a priority this month to make an eye exam at your closest America’s Best. Your eye health is too important to overlook!
