People with diabetes should get annual eye exams it’s very possible that vision loss can be preventable – User-generated content

People with diabetes are at increased risk ofdevelopingseriouseye diseases, yet most do not have sight-saving annual eyeexams,accordingtoalargestudy.

TheKentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeonsjoins theAmerican Academy of Ophthalmologyin reiterating the importance of eye exams.

Researchers at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia have found that more than half of patientswith the disease skip these exams. They also discovered that patients who smoke and those with less severe diabetes and no eye problems were mostlikely to neglect having these checks.

The researcherscollaborated with the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention toreviewthe charts of close to 2,000 patientsage 40 or older with type 1and type 2 diabetes to see how many had regular eye exams.Their findings over a four-year period revealed that:

Fifty-eight percent of patients did not have regularfollow-upeye exams. Smokers were20 percent less likelyto have exams. Thosewith less-severe disease and no eye problems were least likely tofollow recommendations. Those who had diabetic retinopathy were 30 percent more likely to have follow-up exams.

One in 10 Americans have diabetes, putting them at heightened risk for visual impairment due to the eye diseasediabetic retinopathy.The diseasealso can lead to other blinding ocular complications if not treated in time.Fortunately, having adilated eye exam yearly or more often can prevent 95 percent of diabetes-related visionloss.

Eye exams are critical as they can reveal hidden signs of disease, enabling timely treatment.This is why the Academy recommends people with diabetes have them annually or more often as recommended by their ophthalmologist, a physician who specializes in medical and surgical eye care.

Vision loss is tragic, especially when it is preventable, said Ann P. Murchison, M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study and director of the eye emergency department at Wills Eye Hospital. Thats whywe want to raise awareness and ensure people with diabetes understand the importance ofregular eye exams.

The Academy offers thisanimated public service announcementto help educate people about the importance of regular exams and common eye diseases including diabetic retinopathy. It encourages the public to watch and share it with their friends and family.

People with diabetes need to know that they shouldnt wait until they experience problems to get these exams, Rahul N. Khurana, M.D, clinical spokesperson for the Academy. Getting your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist can reveal the signs of disease that patients arent aware of.Diabetic retinopathy, much like glaucoma, can be insidious in its ability to cause vision loss, said Thomas Harper, M.D., an ophthalmologist in Louisville.

It is common to have diabetic retinopathy without having any symptoms.Once symptoms manifest, retinopathy can be quite advanced.Even though it is a bit of an oversimplification, there are two types of people who go blind from diabetes: those who dont control his or her diabetes, and those who dont go to the eye doctor. Schedule your retina exam today.

Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons

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People with diabetes should get annual eye exams it's very possible that vision loss can be preventable - User-generated content