Key Things Diabetics Need to Do to Protect Their Eyes
November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness month. According to the National Institute of Health, 29 million people in the United States are currently diagnosed with diabetes; 86 million are diagnosed with pre-diabetes; and diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the country, affecting 7.7 million people age 40 and over. And, approximately 11 million people are projected to be affected by 2030.
"Prevent Blindness" has annually declared November as Diabetic Eye Disease (DED) Awareness month as a way to help educate the public on the effects that diabetes can have on vision including risk factors, warning signs and tips on how a healthy lifestyle can help protect vision loss.
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina. If you have diabetic retinopathy, at first you may not notice changes to your vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss.
How is diabetic retinopathy treated? A doctor may use a laser to seal leaking or bleeding vessels. This treatment is called photocoagulation. With the vitrectomy treatment, a doctor uses a small tool to take out the vitreous jelly of your eye. This operation removes blood and scar tissue in the vitreous as well. The doctor uses fluid to replace the vitreous.
So, what should a diabetic be doing to protect their eyes so they don't get retinopathy?
Be sure to ask your eye doctor for a dilated eye exam. At a complete eye exam, the eye doctor widens the pupil of the eye with eye drops to allow a closer look at the inside of the eye. This exam may not be part of an eye exam for a new pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses.
In addition, there are several things a diabetic should be doing to protect their eyes:
--Visit an eye doctor annually if you have diabetes or are at high risk.
--Maintain a healthy weight.
--Exercise regularly.
--Monitor your blood sugar levels.
--Make sure blood pressure isn't high.
--Quit smoking, if you do smoke.
--Follow the American Diabetic Association diet as recommended by your physician.
Race and family history are also important risk factors. People who are Hispanic, African-American, Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native American descent are more likely to develop diabetes. Find out if any family members have diabetes and diabetic eye disease.
About the Author
With 14 years as a board-certified ophthalmologist, Dr. Jonathan Pirnazar has performed more than 20,000 refractive and cataract surgeries. He received his M.D. with Honors from the University of Illinois, Chicago School of Medicine and completed his residency at Washington Univ. in St. Louis. Dr. Pirnazar performs cataract surgery in Laguna Hills at NVISION Laser Eye Centers (http://nvisioncenters.com).
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