A healthy lifestyle and regular eye exams are the best defence against eye disease.
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glucose levels in the blood of diabetic patients causes blood vessels in the retina to swell and leak. New blood vessels may also grow, thereby causing further damage and vision loss. Gordon says it is the leading cause of vision loss in Canadians under 50. “It is estimated that there are 500,000 people in Canada with some form of diabetic retinopathy and that 6,000 people in Canada are blind due to diabetic retinopathy,” Gordon states. “The number of Canadians with diabetic retinopathy is projected to increase by 61 per cent by the year 2031.” Treatment is crucial, Gordon said. “Without treatment diabetic retinopathy can advance to uncorrectable vision loss or even blindness. Nearly all patients with Type I diabetes and 60 per cent of those with Type II diabetes develop some form of retinopathy during the first 20 years they have the disease.” He adds, “The most important thing they [diabetics] can do is to control their blood sugar and exercise regularly.” Gordon assures seniors that regular eye exams and a healthy lifestyle are the best defence. “People should not rely on symptoms to have a complete eye examination. All of the above conditions have very few symptoms in their early stages. It is therefore essential that people at all stages