Diabetes Complications

According to the American Diabetes Association, people with persistently high blood glucose tend to develop lesions on the brain later in life that are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Diabetes increases the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease and may speed dementia once it strikes. Doctors long suspected diabetes damaged blood vessels that supply the brain. It now seems that the damage may start before someone is diagnosed with full-blown diabetes, back when the body is gradually losing its ability to regulate blood sugar. According to the findings, brain functioning subtly slows as Type 2 diabetics' blood-sugar rises, well before people have any obvious memory problems. [1], [2]

As an eye doctor, I hope (and even at times, take for granted) that my diabetic patients understand the possibility of developing diabetic retinopathy... The frightening reality is that according to new research by an epidemiologist (Dr. Zhang, Atlanta), some form of diabetic retinopathy is found in almost one in three diabetic patients.

Maintaining a healthy bladder can be hard when you have diabetes. Bladder problems are common as a result of the aging process. Diabetes makes these problems appear at an earlier onset and often with more severity. By keeping your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol under control, and stopping smoking, you can lower your risk of […]

As a primary eye care practitioner, I am continually astonished by the number of diabetes patients I see who have either never had a dilated eye exam or feel they don’t require one (or at least not as often as I recommend). Then there are people with diabetes who are shocked to find out that their […]