Diabetes changes a person’s life. American Diabetes Month® / November is an important element in this effort, with programs designed to focus the nation's attention on the issues surrounding diabetes and the many people who are impacted by the disease.
Offering you an article or interviews with Doctors and patients to discuss: Diabetic Retinopathy
Dr. April Jasper,West Palm Beach, FL- Dr. Brian Kahn, Atlanta, -Dr. James Hall, Philadelphia, -Dr. Mario Gutierrez,San Antonio and Dr. Eric Oberdorf in Raleigh.
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition occurring in persons with diabetes, which causes progressive damage to the retina, the light sensitive lining at the back of the eye. It is a serious sight-threatening complication of diabetes.
In patients with diabetes, prolonged periods of high blood sugar can lead to the accumulation of fluid in the lens inside the eye that controls eye focusing. This changes the curvature of the lens and results in the development of symptoms of blurred vision. The blurring of distance vision as a result of lens swelling will subside once the blood sugar levels are brought under control. Better control of blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes also slows the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Often there are no visual symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. That is why the American Optometric Association recommends that everyone with diabetes have a comprehensive dilated eye examination once a year. Early detection and treatment can limit the potential for significant vision loss from diabetic retinopathy.
Here are just a few of the recent statistics on diabetes:
Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.
Another 79 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $174 billion.
What causes diabetic retinopathy?
How is diabetic retinopathy diagnosed?
How is diabetic retinopathy treated?
Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include:
Diabetes — people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at risk for the development of diabetic retinopathy. The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they are to develop diabetic retinopathy, particularly if the diabetes is poorly controlled
.
Race — Hispanic and African Americans are at greater risk for developing diabetic retinopathy.
Medical conditions — persons with other medical conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are at greater risk.
Pregnancy — pregnant women face a higher risk for developing diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. If gestational diabetes develops, the patient is at much higher risk of developing diabetes as they age.
