Diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness in adults in the United States. Diabetic eye disease is an often silent disease that can sneak up on an individual and cause irreparable damage. You can prevent blindness from diabetic eye disease. If caught early, the risk of losing eye sight can be significantly reduced. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that you visit your eye doctor at least once a year to have a complete eye exam for early detection of the major eye problems in people with diabetes: retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
ADA RECOMMENDATIONS: Patients with Type 2 diabetes should have an initial examination by an eye doctor to look for diabetic retinopathy shortly after the diagnosis. Annual eye examinations should follow.
SELECTING AN EYE DOCTOR: Choose an eye doctor who knows about diabetes and eye problems associated with the disease. The ADA recommends that you see an ophthalmologist if you have been diagnosed with retinopathy or have vision or retina problems.
TYPES OF EYE PROBLEMS: The following is a short list explaining the types of eye problems patients with diabetes may encounter.
Retinopathy: Retinopathy means that there is disease in the retina. The retina is the back of the eye where light forms an image. This image turns into vision through photo receptors under the retina which then relay information to the brain.
Non-proliferative Retinopathy: Up to 50% of individuals ten years after a diagnosis of diabetes may develop non-proliferative retinopathy. Non-proliferative retinopathy usually remains very stable and does not lead to vision loss. However, it can go on to develop macular edema which can limit vision, and therefore patients with non-proliferative retinopathy need to be followed closely by an ophthalmologist.
Cataracts: Cataracts occur when the lens, which is normally clear, becomes cloudy. Cataracts can be found frequently in people with diabetes. All patients, including those without diabetes, can develop cataracts, but patients with diabetes develop cataracts at higher rates. Controlling one’s blood sugar over time can reduce the chances of developing cataracts. Treatment of cataracts is usually accomplished with surgery to remove the cloudy lens. This may result in the restoration of vision.
Glaucoma: Glaucoma can result in vision loss from increased pressure in the eye. While all patients, including those without diabetes, can develop glaucoma, glaucoma occurs more frequently in patients with diabetes. Glaucoma usually has no symptoms, and therefore is a silent disease. It is important to have your eyes checked for glaucoma during your annual eye exam. Usually, glaucoma can be easily treated with eye drops or pills.
GOOD EYE SIGHT: Remember that all patients with diabetes should have their eyes checked every year. Eye disease from diabetes can result in the loss of vision and even blindness. However, with proper screening diabetic eye disease can be prevented.
Medicare now covers an annual dilated eye examination for all people at high risk for glaucoma, effective January 1, 2002. Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, affects about three million Americans - half of whom don’t know they have this eye disease. People with diabetes are at high risk for glaucoma, and it is five times more likely to occur in African Americans than in whites. “Preventive benefits, such as this new glaucoma coverage, help keep people enrolled in Medicare healthy and improve their quality of life,” said HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. “An eye exam now can prevent serious problems later, even blindness. It is important that we make taking care of our eyes a part of our overall health maintenance program.”
