Eye problems are more common among diabetic patients and they need to go for regular eye checkups. A recent study reveals that most low income diabetic Americans do not go for an eye check up even once in a year.
The latest study conducted by researchers at the University of Alabama led by Paul MacLennan says that low-earning diabetics very rarely go for eye checkups, which can lead to several eye problems in the long run and even result in blindness.
The findings are based on data collected on 867 diabetic patients who visited an outpatient clinic at a country hospital, Cooper Green Mercy, Alabama, in 2007. More than half of the surveyed turned out to be diabetic. Only 33 percent of these diabetics were found to have gone for an eye check up in the last year and less than 45 percent had not gone for eye visits in the previous two years, according to the report in Philly.
Majority (62 percent) of the patients were women, aged 52 or below and three fold of the patients belonged to the low-income category. The study also revealed that the younger patients aged between 19 and 39 were not aware of their diabetic status and didn't bother to go for regular eye checkups.
Around 26 million people in America are diagnosed with Diabetes and one third of them suffer from Diabetic Retinopathy. The disease hampers blood flow to eye cells that eventually turns into blindness.
"Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working-aged adults in the United States," said MacLennan in an email, reports Reuters.
According to the researchers, the disease hardly gets detected in the primary stage. Even if detected later, the treatment can't make up for the damage done. It's better if the disease is identified at its primary stage. In fact, diabetes can also lead to other eye problems like glaucoma and cataracts.
U.S. authorities recommend eye tests for all diabetics. Type 2 diabetics should have eye examinations done every year and the rest need annual eye exam in the first five years. However, only 2-3 percent of the people abide by the guidelines, reveals the study published on the latest journal of JAMA Ophthalmology.
