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A Visit to the Optometrist May Help Detect the Early Stages of Diabetes--And Prevent Complications (English-Language)
American Optometric Association ConsumerFeature
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NEARLY 21-MILLION AMERICANS HAVE DIABETES. AND, THAT NUMBER COULD BE EVEN HIGHER--SINCE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE UNAWARE THEY EVEN HAVE IT. DIABETES IS A SERIOUS DISEASE THAT CAUSES CHANGES IN ONE'S VISION, AND ULTIMATELY MAY LEAD TO BLINDNESS. WHAT'S MORE, PEOPLE WITH DIABETES ARE ALSO TWO TO FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER STROKES. THE AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION SAYS THAT A VISIT TO THE OPTOMETRIST CAN BE THE FIRST STEP TO BETTER EYE AND VISION HEALTH--AND THAT AN ANNUAL DILATED-EYE EXAM BY AN OPTOMETRIST CAN BE THE FIRST LINE OF DETECTION OF DIABETES. THE EYE IS THE ONLY PLACE WITHIN THE BODY THAT BLOOD VESSELS CAN BE SEEN WITHOUT HAVING TO LOOK THROUGH SKIN OR TISSUE. THEREFORE, DOCTORS OF OPTOMETRY ARE ABLE TO DETECT A NUMBER OF DISEASES THAT AFFECT BLOOD VESSELS--SUCH AS DIABETES. STUDIES NOW SHOW THAT NEARLY 80-PERCENT OF DIABETES COMPLICATIONS--SUCH AS BLINDNESS, KIDNEY DISEASE, AND AMPUTATIONS--CAN BE PREVENTED WITH BLOOD-SUGAR CONTROL AND EARLY DETECTION OF COMPLICATIONS. BUT, IF VISION LOSS HAS OCCURRED, AN OPTOMETRIST CAN HELP MAXIMIZE REMAINING VISION, THROUGH LOW-VISION REHABILITATION. TO LEARN MORE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING YOUR EYES HEALTHY, VISIT "A-O-A"-DOT-ORG.
For this report in Spanish,
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