Diabetic eye disease

ID for train travel at reduced rates for blind citizens

 Because my grandmother was blind, I've always been sensitive to (and frightened by) eye diseases. Her condition was not caused by diabetes (most likely a disease/virus transmitted by poultry when she was a child, but no one really knows), but diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults today. There is a lot that can be done to stop the progression of diabetes, particularly weight loss, proper diet and exercise, and then medication, but too many think, "It will never happen to me."  Even some in my own family! Even some who read this blog!!

1. Diabetic eye disease comprises a group of eye conditions that affect people with diabetes. These conditions include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema (DME), cataract, and glaucoma.
2. All forms of diabetic eye disease have the potential to cause severe vision loss and blindness.
3. Diabetic retinopathy involves changes to retinal blood vessels that can cause them to bleed or leak fluid, distorting vision.
4. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes and a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults.
5. DME is a consequence of diabetic retinopathy that causes swelling in the area of the retina called the macula.
6. Controlling diabetes—by taking medications as prescribed, staying physically active, and maintaining a healthy diet—can prevent or delay vision loss.
7. Because diabetic retinopathy often goes unnoticed until vision loss occurs, people with diabetes should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.
8. Early detection, timely treatment, and appropriate follow-up care of diabetic eye disease can protect against vision loss.
9. Diabetic retinopathy can be treated with several therapies, used alone or in combination.
10. NEI supports research to develop new therapies for diabetic retinopathy, and to compare the effectiveness of existing therapies for different patient group

National Eye Institute (NEI) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX4w6U-Qs1k

Five ways to protect your eyes from age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition in which the macula, the part of the eye that's responsible for your sharpest and most detailed vision, begins to thin and break down, causing vision loss. If left untreated, it can lead to blindness.

There is no surefire way to prevent AMD. However, there are things you can do to delay its onset or reduce its severity. Here's how:

1. Smoking can speed up AMD damage. If you smoke, quit.

2. Sunlight is thought to possibly promote AMD. Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing sunglasses and broad-brimmed hats.

3. Research also suggests that certain nutrients help prevent macular degeneration. Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and dark green leafy vegetables — such as spinach, collard greens, and kale — that are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are key for eye health.

4. For people at high risk of developing the advanced stages of the "wet" form of AMD, high-dose combinations of antioxidant vitamins and minerals may lower their risk by about 25%. However, supplements don't seem to help people who don't have AMD or who have early AMD.

5. Ask your doctor about supplements if you have intermediate or advanced dry AMD or wet AMD. It's unclear whether omega-3 supplements are beneficial for AMD, but eating fish and other foods high in these nutrients may still be worthwhile for preserving optimal vision and overall good health.

Itsy bitsy contact lenses

Even in the summer, I rarely wear sunglasses, although I have in recent years purchased big giant ones that cover about 1/3 of my face and just place them over my regular glasses (I wear trifocals). Research done at Ohio State shows we should wear them even in the winter, and if you wear contacts, you can have UV blocking lenses. Little rabbits wore them to test their effectiveness. I don't even want to know how they found out they were or weren't affected. (But if you read the original, it will tell you.) From OSUToday:

"Heather Chandler, PhD, assistant professor, and a group of researchers from The Ohio State University College of Optometry found that UV blocking contact lenses protect the eyes from harmful UV rays.

According to the article (“Prevention of UV-Induced Damage to the Anterior Segment Using Class I UV Absorbing Hydrogel Contact Lenses”), overexposure to UV radiation can lead to harmful changes in the cornea, conjunctiva and lens, including cataracts, the most common cause of visual impairment around the globe. According to the researchers, some estimates say that by the year 2050, there will be 167,000 to 830,000 more cases of cataracts.

“Unfortunately, people are generally unaware of when their eyes are at greatest risk for damage from UV exposure,” said Dr. Chandler. “This research involving UV-absorbing contact lenses can provide another option for protection against the detrimental changes caused by UV.

The study exposed rabbits daily to the equivalent of about 16 hours of exposure to sunlight in humans — enough to induce UV-associated corneal changes. The rabbits who wore UV-absorbing contact lenses (Senofilcon A) were not affected by the UV exposure."

Looks like I should be paying more than five bucks for my sunglasses, too. Yes, and we should be wearing sunblock year around, however, in Ohio, we are so thrilled to see sunshine, we rarely think about blocking it.