Many Diabetes Patients Unaware of Possible Vision Loss
Fewer than 50 percent of adults who are experiencing vision loss caused by diabetes report that they have been told by a doctor that diabetes could damage their eyesight, according to a study that appeared online Dec. 19, 2013 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Researchers who collected data on 798 diabetes patients found that nearly 60 percent of those who were in danger of losing their sight due to diabetic macular edema (DME, a condition that causes thickening of the retina, and a leading cause of blindness in diabetics) said that their doctor had not explained the link between diabetes and vision loss, and about 40 percent had not received a full eye exam with dilated pupils in the last year.
Treatment of DME has improved dramatically, and identifying and treating this condition in its early stages often can stop or slow vision loss. According to the National Eye Institute, people with diabetes who undergo a dilated eye exam once a year could reduce their risk of severe vision loss by 95 percent. The American Optometric Association recommends an annual eye examination for everyone over age 60.
Other possible complications from diabetes include damage to blood vessels, heart disease, and nerve dam-age in the lower extremities; regular visits with your doctor or another health care provider who specializes in diabetes care are strongly recommended if you have diabetes.
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