Diabetes and blindness: Americans know the danger but aren't getting eye exams

Research released today by the American Diabetes Association proves that awareness doesn't always spur action.

Specifically, 96 percent of people surveyed in the Diabetes Eye Health Study said they were aware that diabetes can cause blindness, but 20 percent of those people had not had an eye exam in the past 12 months.

The study surveyed U.S. adults who currently have diabetes, assessing the level of knowledge and awareness that patients had about annual eye exams and eye health.

Annual eye exams help to avoid complications

"Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults," John E. Anderson, MD, President, Medicine & Science, American Diabetes Association, said in a press release. "For the nearly 20 million people who have been diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S., it is critical that they receive an annual eye exam to avoid complications and lower their risk of glaucoma, cataracts and other eye problems such as diabetic macular edema."

And while a significant number of participants say they aren't getting regular eye exams, 74 percent report that they're at least somewhat worried about the diabetes and blindness connection, and 83 percent said it's important to have an annual eye exam.

In terms of where patients are getting their information, the survey showed that 82 percent receive advice about diabetes and eye health from their doctors, while 46 percent get it from an optometrist.

The good news is that 97 percent of patients with diabetes who have ever received an eye exam have done so since the diabetes diagnosis.

Important for diabetics to be educated

Where diabetic macular edema is concerned - a condition characterized by swelling of the retina due to fluid leaking from blood vessels in the eye - 52 percent of patients with diabetes aren't familiar with the condition at all.

"May is Healthy Vision Month, and this research demonstrates the need for us to continue to educate people with diabetes about the importance of eye health and receiving an annual eye exam," Anderson said.

The survey was conducted by Harris Interactive.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Get a Free Diabetes Meal Plan

Get a free 7-Day Diabetes Meal Plan from Constance Brown-Riggs who is a Registered Dietitian-Certified Diabetes Educator and who is also a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Just enter in your email below to download your free Diabetes Meal Plan.

By clicking Submit, you agree to send your info to BattleDiabetes.com who, in addition to 3rd party partners, may contact you with updates, products and information and we agree to use it according to our privacy policy and terms and conditions.

More Articles

More Articles

For decades people with type-1 and advanced type-2 diabetes relied on painful and often flawed insulin injections to regulate blood sugar...

Scientists have discovered that a single gene forms a common link between type 2 diabetes and...

Natural supplements like cinnamon extract and apple cider vinegar could hold the key to lowering blood sugar levels, according to a recent...

Natural supplements like cinnamon extract and apple cider vinegar could hold the key to lowering blood sugar levels, according to a recent...

Could a person's risk for type 2 diabetes be written in their genes?

According to a study recently published in ...

Women who frequently shift around their sleeping hours could have worse metabolic health outcomes than their peers who stick with a...

The presence of the hormone leptin may hinder prenatal development, which could explain the origin of type 2 diabetes, according to...

An analysis of fossilized Native American feces shows that our ancestors ate up to sixteen times the fiber that we do today, but our...

Managing diabetes is hugely challenging for people of any age, but a new study suggests that young people may suffer all the more....

Disruptions to the gut’s ecosystem could be a future symptom facing young children who take antibiotics, which makes them more susceptible...

Breastfeeding a newborn holds many benefits for mommy and baby; it reduces the baby's risk for colds and viruses, it helps his bones (and yours)...

Fans of the Dexcom G5 Mobile have something to smile about.

At yesterday's hearing with the U.S. Food and Drug...

If you start your day with a cup of tea and end it with a glass of red wine, your blood sugar may thank you.

At least that...

As medical experts continue to debate whether or not "healthy obesity" can even exist, one new study suggests that risk for heart disease...

For years, type 1 diabetics have been anxiously waiting for that medical marvel that can stop the constant injections: the artificial...