Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
This week on Healthwatch, we've been talking about diabetes, in recognition of National Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is becoming more common among Americans, and that means complications are also becoming more common. One serious possible diabetic complication is blindness. Thats why
Dr. Yu-Guang He, an ophthalmologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says regular eye exams are especially important for patients with diabetes.
Regular eye exams can detect lesions associated with diabetic retinopathy before the damage is irreversible. They also give doctors an idea of how much damage diabetes is doing to the rest of the body. In an eye exam, doctors can see the condition of blood vessels in the eyes, which is an indication of the health of blood vessels in other parts of the body. Many diabetic complications are the result of damaged blood vessels.
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November 2005
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