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Diabetics who may be experiencing vision loss without realizing it are the target of a new awareness campaign St. Josephs Health Care London hopes will lead to more screening.

Vision loss can be sneaky, said London-based optometrist, Harry Van Ymeren, in a news release. In my practice, I have seen it many times. People think they are fine and we discover a problem. The point of screening is to catch it before it becomes too late.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that prevents the body form making or using insulin, in turn increasing sugar levels in the blood stream. The development of early-onset cataracts and glaucoma is more likely for people who have diabetes, but Tom Sheidow, an ophthalmologist at the Ivey Eye Institute, said the main threat is the effect of diabetes on the retina, the part of the eye that allows you to see.

This is why screening early and often is so important for those with diabetes, he said. Diabetes can affect all blood vessels in your body, including those inside your eye. Diabetic eye damage, also called diabetic retinopathy, occurs when there is a weakening of the blood vessels in the retina that can result in swelling, the abnormal growth of blood vessels, and potentially severe bleeding. If diabetic retinopathy is left untreated, blindness can result.

According to St. Joes, estimates put the number of people in Canada with some form of diabetic retinopathy at around two million. It is the most common cause of blindness in people under age 65 and the most common cause of new blindness in North America.

Sarah MacArthur was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three and has been cautious with her care because she understands the importance of screening. MacArthur said she has discovered symptoms of diabetic retinopathy in the past four years because of screenings with Van Ymeren.

I had no signs at all, she said. There was nothing that prompted me or made me think something was wrong with my vision. We are keeping a close eye on any changes so we know immediately if there is a concern.

A routine eye examination is all it takes to diagnose potentially threatening changes that can cause blindness. But once damage has occurred, the effects can be permanent.

People who feel completely healthy are the focus of this diabetes vision screening awareness campaign, said Sheidow. Anyone with diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) should have their vision checked.

Referrals to an optometrist from a family doctor are not required and in Ontario, the cost of an eye exam for people living with diabetes is covered through OHIP. Resources to locate an optometrist are available at opto.ca. For communities without an optometrist, an ophthalmologist is an option, said Van Ymeren.

It doesnt matter if you see an ophthalmologist or an optometrist, as long as you get your eyes checked. Yearly screening is free for people with diabetes.

For more information, visit diabetesvisionscreening.ca

Read more:
Did you know diabetes can cause blindness? - Londoner

This entry was posted on March 1, 2017 at 7:47 am and is filed under Blindness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |