Updated July 18, 2006

Avoiding Eye Complications

by A. Paul Chous, M.A., O.D.

Stopping diabetes and its complications
Even as science discovers more about the causes and complications of diabetes, and even as more effective treatments become available, the epidemic of diabetes and its complications continues to grow. Perhaps the most effective way to stop diabetes complications, including blindness, is to prevent diabetes in the first place.

The groundbreaking Diabetes Prevention Program, a study that examined what might prevent diabetes, has shown that simply walking 30 minutes each day, five days per week, reduces the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes in at-risk people by nearly 60%. But for those of us who have already been diagnosed, the risk of severe eye complications can be reduced by as much as 95% if we can work together to educate, motivate, and support ourselves, our health-care providers, and our policy makers to take every action possible in turning the tide. Hopefully, this article will serve as another springboard toward that end.

Also in this article:
Eye Diseases Associated With Diabetes

Dr. Chous is a doctor of optometry specializing in diabetes education in Tacoma, Washington. He is the author of Diabetic Eye Disease: Lessons From a Diabetic Eye Doctor (Fairwood Press, 2003), which can be ordered through the Web site www.diabeticeyes.com.

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