Diabetes patients at higher risk from glaucoma

An estimated 3 million Americans have glaucoma, which can stealthily cause vision loss even before people realize they have the disease. People with diabetes face special risks from glaucoma. This January during Glaucoma Awareness Month, through its EyeSmart™ campaign, the American Academy of Ophthalmology in partnership with the American Glaucoma Society and the Glaucoma Research Foundation, remind Americans that knowing your glaucoma risks can save your sight and that people with diabetes need to be extra-vigilant.

"Only about half of the people who now have glaucoma are aware that they do," said James Heltzer, MD, a glaucoma specialist in Bethesda, Maryland, and an Academy clinical correspondent. "To end blindness from glaucoma, we need millions more Americans to become aware of this disease and get eye exams in time. It's even more important for people with diabetes."

Both diabetes and glaucoma are leading causes of blindness. In their early stages these diseases often have few symptoms, so damage may occur before people know they need treatment. Several large studies suggest that people with diabetes are more likely to develop glaucoma, and other data shows that glaucoma patients who are diabetic are more likely to suffer vision damage. If caught early, diabetes and glaucoma can usually be managed and vision can be saved.

Luis Quinones, a painting contractor, learned he had diabetes when he was 46, about 10 years ago. He visits his Eye M.D. (ophthalmologist) regularly so any vision problems he might develop can be dealt with right away. A few years ago his doctor found that both of Luis' eyes had high intraocular pressure (IOP), a key sign of glaucoma. A laser procedure followed by eye drop medications successfully reduced his IOP until last year, when Luis noticed blurry vision in his right eye and had painful headaches for the first time in his life.

"We tried different eye drops, but my problems didn't get better," Luis said. "My doctor sent me to Dr. Heltzer, a glaucoma expert, and he put in a small tube to help with fluid drainage. Now I can see well again, and the headaches are gone. I use one kind of eye drop in the morning and another in the evening." Dr. Heltzer explained that Luis has neovascular glaucoma, a condition seen most often in people with diabetes. Fortunately it can now be treated with drainage implants, lasers and medications called VEFG inhibitors, so it is no longer necessarily a blinding condition.

An annual dilated eye exam can help prevent vision loss from glaucoma and other eye diseases in people with diabetes. To promote awareness the Academy, along with partners the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Macula Society and the Retina Society, has launched EyeSmart EyeCommitted, a social media campaign to encourage people with diabetes to pledge to get an eye exam every year. The EyeCommitted campaign includes an interactive application that:

-- Encourages taking the EyeCommitted pledge to have an annual diabetic eye exam; -- Allows users to share the pledge and campaign information with friends and family; -- Features important diabetic eye disease information and a new video that tells the compelling stories of two patients with diabetic retinopathy; and -- Allows users to post the application onto their preferred social media sites.

For each pledge, the Academy will commit $1 to its diabetic eye health education efforts.

SOURCE: American Academy of Ophthalmology