Attention Turns to Diabetes for Healthy Vision Month

The American Diabetes Association (ADA), VSP Vision Care, and Regeneron are educating Americans about the relationship between diabetes and eye health in observance of Healthy Vision Month in May.

The Focus on Diabetes program, a multi-year initiative from the 3 organizations, is highlighting the importance of prioritizing eye health and sharing resources available for individuals with diabetes and diabetes-related eye diseases. 

“Just as diabetes management is not a one-size-fits-all approach, neither is taking care of our eye health,” said Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, chief scientific and medical officer for the ADA, in a news release.¹ “This Healthy Vision Month, Focus on Diabetes is encouraging you to take control of your health.”

Gabbay noted that thereare easy ways to take care of eye health, including scheduling an annual dilated eye exam and taking or sharing the ADA’s RetinaRisk calculator and Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test.

Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults aged 18 to 64, according to VSP Vision Care President Kate Renwick-Espinosa. “But it doesn’t have to be,” she said.“In fact, early detection, timely treatment, and appropriate follow-up care can reduce a person’s risk for severe vision loss from diabetes-related eye disease by 95%,”

Focus on Diabetes resources include information on diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, in which blood sugar levels can cause damage to blood vessels In the retina. The web site describes the symptoms as well as treatments, which include controlled blood glucose levels, medication via injections or eyedrops, laser treatment or surgery.

Focus on Diabetes will also feature Focus on Diabetes Champion patient advocates who are sharing their stores of diabetes and eye health on social media throughout the rest of the month.

Reference

1. The American Diabetes Association, with visionary partners VSP Vision Care and Regeneron, to address barriers to accessing resources to manageoneseye health. News release. American Diabetes Association. May 2, 2022. Accessed May 16, 2022. https://www.diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/2022/american-diabetes-association-with-visionary-partners-vsp-vision-care-regeneron-address-barriers-accessing-resources-manage-ones-eye-health