NJ
Retina Specialist Milton Kahn, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center reviewed information about diabetic
eye disease and diabetic eye
problems as Prevent Blindness America has designated November as
National Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month. “The most recent Prevent
Blindness America Vision Problems in the U.S. report identified that diabetes is
the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age. This
is compounded by data from the Centers for Disease Control indicating that 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. Kahn.
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. “Certainly the incidence of
some eye diseases and problems will increase with the aging of the baby boomer
population. But, it is really disturbing to see the spike in diabetic
retinopathy cases which is a direct consequence of the diabetes epidemic in
this country,” Dr. Kahn 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.
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 The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visiting The Eye Care & Surgery Center or
facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.
With
locations at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10
Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite
1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, The Eye Care &
Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice serving central and northern
New Jersey.
