Delta Regional Medical Center

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Even though people with diabetes have a higher risk of blindness than those without the disease, it is estimated that one-third do not follow guidelines suggesting an annual eye exam. March is National Save Your Vision Month and the perfect time to focus not only on your sight but also if you are at risk for developing diabetes or not caring for it properly if you have already been diagnosed.

"One of the insidious things about diabetes is that millions of people have it and aren’t aware of it, or they have it and do not take steps to manage it," said Parvez Karim, MD, Internal Medicine, Chief of Staff at Delta Regional Medical Center and Medical Director of Delta Regional Wound Healing Center, which treats diabetic ulcers.

The longer a person has diabetes, the greater his or her risk for vision problems but, for some people, a diagnosis of the vision problem "diabetic retinopathy" is one of the first signs they have the disease. An annual eye exam, in which eye drops are administered to enlarge the patient’s pupils, allows the eye care professional to see inside the eyes and look for symptoms of diabetes.

While diabetes can lead to glaucoma and cataracts, the most common damage to the eye is diabetic retinopathy. Caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina from high blood sugar levels, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in adults in the United States. Nearly half of all people with diabetes will develop some degree of it during their lifetime.

Like many other diabetic illnesses, there are often no early warning signs. Those with diabetic retinopathy seldom feel eye pain and their vision may not change until the disease becomes advanced. 

With no symptoms, how can you tell if you are at risk for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy? Statistically, your chances are high and getting higher all the time. The number of adults with diabetes rose 45 percent during the ‘90s striking 13 percent of African Americans, 10 percent of Hispanics, 15 percent of Native Americans and 20 percent of U.S. citizens above the age of 65.

Lack of exercise, passing your 40th birthday, being overweight and having a family history of diabetes will all increase your risk of the disease. Yet, there are ways to improve your chances of avoiding the disease.

"It’s all the things that are easy to do but people put off," noted Dr. Karim. "Exercise and lose the pounds if you’re overweight. Start eating a low fat diet while adding fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If you already know you have diabetes, get a regular eye exam, inspect your feet every day for injuries you may not feel, seek treatment for wounds that take more than 30 days to heal and monitor your blood sugar."

For more information on managing diabetes, call Delta Regional Wound Healing Center at (662) 725-7606. The Wound Healing Center is located at the West Campus of Delta Regional Medical Center, 300 South Washington Avenue in Greenville. 

The Delta Regional Wound Healing Center specializes in the treatment of chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions and offers hospital-based outpatient wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.