Diabetes has serious effects on eye health, and rates of the disease are rising rapidly around the globe - in 2007 approximately 246 million people worldwide had the disease, and the International Diabetes Foundation estimates that number will jumpt to 324 million by 2025.
To make matters worse, there is a disturbing lack of awareness of the impact diabetes has on eye health and vision: In Transistions Optical's second annual Healthy Sight Survey, between one-third and two-thirds of respondents didn't identify vision problems as a side effect of diabetes.
Ocular Effects
Diabetes can lead to the development of eye diseases, including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy may also lead to retinal cell phototoxicity, which is an extreme adverse reaction to UV light. In the U.S., 40.3 percent of diabetics over age 40 have diabetic retinopathy, and 8.2 percent have vision-threatening retinopathy.
In addition, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts have been associated with reduced contrast sensitivity and also increased susceptibility to glare.
If you are diabetic, it is crucial to have frequent dilated eye exams to monitor and prevent vision loss. If you have sudden vision changes, contact your eye care provider.
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1 comment:
Yes this is true...diabetic patients are at a higher risk when it concerns eye health.
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