 | Dr. Bruce A. Kater is medical director at the Envision Rehabilitation Center, a clinic primarily serving patients with low vision. He earned his O.D. degree from the University of Houston, and has worked in low vision optometry since 1995. Dr. Kater can be reached at Envision Rehabilitation Center (316) 267-2244 , toll free (800) 685-7959 or visit www.envisionus.com |
Vision
2004-10-01 15:07:00
Vision loss prevention for diabetic
QUESTION: I have heard I could lose my eyesight and become blind because of diabetes. What can I do to save my vision and my independence?
ANSWER: Yes. It is true that diabetes can cause blindness. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the United States, causing up to 24,000 people, mostly older Americans, to lose their vision every year. The good news is that with careful management, ill effects can be minimized.The greatest threat to vision from diabetes is diabetic retinopathy. It causes small blood vessels that line your retina to weaken from excessive blood sugar, eventually rupturing, blurring your vision and causing swelling. The retina is the light-sensitive nerve tissue that lines the back of your eye, transmitting visual information to your brain. If diabetic retinopathy is untreated, about half of all cases will result in blindness.People with diabetes are twice as likely as the general population to get cataracts and glaucoma, both can cause blindness. The most important thing any diabetic can do is properly manage their blood sugar. The most extensive study to date about diabetes and vision found that people who properly manage their blood sugar were able to reduce their risk of vision loss by 75 percent.It is also important for all diabetics to have an annual dilated eye exam. Dilation allows your eye doctor to look for signs of damaged blood vessels. Early detection of any eye disease, including diabetic retinopathy, is vital to slowing the progression and saving vision.There are other ways to reduce the risk from diabetic retinopathy. If you have diabetes, it is important that you:• Manage high blood pressure.• Keep cholesterol low through a combination of diet and exercise.• Avoid smoking.• See your regular eye doctor annually.While no treatment can cure diabetic retinopathy, there are treatment options that an ophthalmologist can employ to reduce vision loss. Laser surgery may be used to either shrink or destroy leaking or abnormal blood vessels on the retina. Another treatment option is a vitrectomy, which removes cloudy vitreous fluid and replaces it with a clear saline solution.Don't let diabetic eye disease take control of your life. If you are living with vision loss, you can take advantage of vision rehabilitation, which can include a low vision assessment, orientation & mobility training, assistive technology (computer classes for individuals who are blind or low vision) and independent living training.Through vision rehabilitation you can learn to live safely and independently with vision loss.
