Information about Diabetes, Eye Disease & Problems

Monday, November 3, 2014

Information about Diabetes, Eye Disease & Problems

Doctor & Associates provided information about diabetes, eye disease, diabetic retinopathy and eye problems as Prevent Blindness America designates November as National Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month.

Diabetic Population & Eye Problems Growing
There are more than 25 million people in the U.S. who have diabetes and this number is rapidly growing-in an almost epidemic proportion. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age with some 8 million people ages 40 and older who have diabetic retinopathy.

You Can Prevent Vision Loss from Diabetes
Although there is no cure for diabetic eye disease, annual eye exams for diabetes patients are essential to help slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic eye disease. The potential 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.

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 Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice with offices at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.