Robert Kelly, M.D. a Retina
Specialist in Fall River, Massachusetts at Center for Sight commented on diabetic eye disease and diabetic eye
problems as Prevent Blindness America has designated November as
National Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month.
“What we know from the most
recent Prevent Blindness America Vision Problems in the U.S. report is that diabetes
is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, diabetes affects 25.8 million
people in the United States. Although there is no cure for diabetic eye
disease, annual eye exams for diabetes patients are essential to help slow the
progression of the disease,” said Dr. Kelly.
The Prevent Blindness America Vision
Problems in the U.S. identified that there are almost 8 million people ages 40
and older who have diabetic retinopathy. This represents an 89 percent increase
between the years 2000-2012. “While it is not surprising that the incidence of
some eye diseases and problems is increasing with the aging of the baby boomer
population, it is terribly disturbing to see the dramatic spike in diabetic
retinopathy cases, a consequence of the diabetes epidemic that this country is
experiencing with no end in sight,” Dr. Kelly explained.
The vision loss from diabetic
retinopathy can be prevented if it's caught early and treated in time. More
than one third of those diagnosed with diabetes do not adhere to vision care
guidelines recommending a dilated eye exam every year. As part of Diabetic Eye
Disease Awareness Month we are urging people with diabetes to have a dilated
eye exam every year. The longer a person has diabetes, the greater his or her
risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. However, 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.
“Blood sugar levels can weaken
blood vessels causing them to break down which causes swelling, hemorrhages and
lipid deposits that can ultimately lead to vision loss. More ominous is the
effect of the blood vessel breakdown and oxygen deprivation in promoting
fragile new blood vessel growth that can easily break resulting in vitreous
hemorrhage, retinal detachment and catastrophic vision loss,” further explained
Dr. Kelly.
In addition to having regular eye
examinations and testing at the direction of your eye doctor, patients can help
to reduce the risk of developing diabetic eye disease by not smoking, controlling their cholesterol
and lipid profile and blood pressure, as well as working to eat a heart-healthy
diet rich in fish, fruit and green leafy vegetables and exercising.
If
you or someone you know has diabetes or even elevated blood sugar levels they
should work to prevent diabetic eye disease and problems with regular eye exams
by calling Center for Sight at 508-730-2020, visiting www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.
Center for Sight is conveniently
located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts
02720 for
patients from Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
