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Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Vision Loss Can Be Prevented in People with Diabetes
Eye exam, free to many seniors, can reduce
vision loss up to 94%
 October 10, 2006 - The millions of Americans
afflicted with Type 1 and 2 Diabetes face many potential complications,
including: heart and kidney disease; nerve damage and stroke; foot and
skin problems; and gastrointestinal disorders and hypoglycemia. In
addition, perhaps the most feared, is permanent blindness, which affects
about 24,000 new people per year.
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Free Eye Exams for Seniors |
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EyeCare America, a public service foundation of
the American Academy of Ophthalmology, encourages diabetes
patients, age 65 and older, to take advantage of its Diabetes
EyeCare Program. This year-round program offers eye exams and up
to one year of care at no out-of-pocket cost to qualified
patients who are without an ophthalmologist.
To see if you, a loved one or a friend, is
eligible to receive a referral to one of EyeCare America's 7,300
volunteer ophthalmologists, call 1-800-272- EYES (3937). The
EyeCare America help lines are open 24 hours a day, every day,
year round. More information on EyeCare America can be found at:
www.eyecareamerica.org |
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This major complication is due to diabetic
retinopathy, a degenerative disease of the retina (the sensitive area at
the back of the eye). Overall, diabetic retinopathy affects 5.3 million
Americans 18 and older.
But there's hope, say ophthalmology experts.
In observance of Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness
Month in November, the American Academy of Ophthalmology wants Americans
to know that even though diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of
blindness, vision loss can be prevented if the disease is diagnosed and
treated in time.
"Only 50 to 60 percent of those with diabetes get
the recommended yearly eye examinations," said Jose S. Pulido, MD,
Academy clinical correspondent and professor of ophthalmology at the
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Studies show effective treatments,
including an annual dilated eye exam, can reduce severe vision loss by
up to 94 percent."
According to the American Diabetes Association,
there are 20.8 million people in the United States, or 7 percent of the
population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been
diagnosed, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that
they have the disease.
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September 25, 2006 - Adults with diabetes, which
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War Against Diabetes Gets Major Support from New
Alliance of Walgreens and Harvard's Joslin Center
About 23 million senior citizens have
diabetes or pre-diabetes
 September 19, 2006 - Walgreens, the nation's
largest drugstore chain, and Joslin Diabetes Center, a global leader in
diabetes research, care and education, have formed a sweeping alliance
to improve health outcomes for Americans with diabetes. More than one
out of five senior citizens has diabetes and almost 40 percent of
seniors have pre-diabetes. In rough numbers, this is about 23 million
people age 65 and older with the disease or in danger of developing it.
The Joslin expertise communicated through the broad Walgreen network is
certain to reach many of these older Americans.
Read more...
Read more
on
Health & Medicine |
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"This is a tragedy waiting to happen because people
who are unaware they have the disease are at a substantially greater
risk for vision loss and other complications," said Dr. Pulido. "The
first step in preventing complications is finding out if you have the
disease. It's important for all healthy adults over the age of 45 to
have a blood sugar test once every three years."
Dr. Pulido said that the longer a person has
diabetes, the greater the risk for developing diabetic retinopathy.
"Diabetic retinopathy does not only affect people
who have had diabetes for many years, it can also appear within the
first year or two after the onset of the disease," he said. "For some
people, diabetic retinopathy is one of the first signs of the disease."
Anatomy of Diabetic Retinopathy
High blood sugar levels weaken blood vessels in the
eye's retina, causing them to leak blood or fluid. This causes the
retina to swell and can lead to vision loss.
Blood sugar fluctuations can also promote growth of
new, fragile blood vessels on the retina, which can easily break and
leak blood into the vitreous (the clear, jelly-like substance that fills
the center of the eye). This can blur vision and lead to permanent
blindness.
In its earliest stages diabetic retinopathy may not
affect vision, but over time it can cause vision loss and even blindness
in both eyes.
What are the Signs of Diabetic Retinopathy?
"Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can temporarily
affect vision, so it's sometimes difficult to know if a serious eye
problem is developing," said Dr. Pulido. "That's one of the reasons
strict control of your blood sugar is so important. If you notice a
vision change in one eye, a change that lasts more than a day or two, or
changes not associated with fluctuations in blood sugar, contact your
Eye M.D. immediately."
Other ways to reduce the risk of eye disease:
● Keep your blood glucose level as close to
normal as possible through diet, exercise and, if needed, medication
● Keep your blood pressure under control
● Keep your cholesterol levels low
● Don't smoke
● Make sure your hemoglobin A1c levels (a measure of good blood sugar
control) are measured at least every four months and are less than 7.1.
Source: Diabetic Retinopathy: A New Hope
Although incurable, diabetic retinopathy can be
treated to retard its onset and progression. There's hope for the
development of new pharmacological treatments that would not require
invasive laser surgery. These treatments might even restore the vision
that the disease destroys.
These potential treatments signal a move away from
laser photocoagulation to drugs injected into the eye, as well as oral
treatments.
Many of these drugs block the pathways that
contribute to the vascular disruptions that characterize diabetic
retinopathy. Specifically, they aim to inhibit the growth of new blood
vessels or the activity of proteins in the nerve cells of the retina.
These treatments hold promise of intervention at
earlier, non-sight- threatening stages, but they will require renewed
emphasis on early detection. The newest and best treatments will be most
effective only when the underlying disease -- diabetes -- is under
control.
About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
AAO is the world's largest association of eye
physicians and surgeons -- Eye M.D.s -- with more than 27,000 members
worldwide. Eye health care is provided by the three "O's" -- opticians,
optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye
M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye
surgery. To find an Eye M.D. in your area, visit the Academy's Web site
at www.aao.org.
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