>>> NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL
DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH.
TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
DIABETES, AND SOMETHING ELSE IT
EFFECTS, WHICH IS YOUR VISION.
WITH US FROM THE FLORIDA EYE
SPECIALISTS IS DOCTOR KATHERINE.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE
DIABETES AND THEY SUFFER FROM
ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF THIS
AILMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
DISEASE.
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW VISION IS
AFFECTED BY IT.
WHY IS THAT SO?
>> WELL, THE WHOLE BODY IS
AFFECTED BY DIABETES BECAUSE THE
WHOLE BODY NEEDS BLOOD VESSELS
TO CARRY THE BLOOD, OXYGEN AND
NUTRIENTS TO WHAT STRUCTURES
NEED TO BE DOING THEIR JOB.
HIGH BLOOD SUGAR IN THOSE PIPES
CAUSES DAMAGE.
INSIDE THE EYE THE PIPES ARE
REALLY TINY AND PRONE TO GETTING
DAMAGED.
>> SO YOU HAVE DIABETES ONE OR
TWO AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD YOUR
VISION CHECKED, YOU REALLY
SHOULD GET IT CHECKED.
>> THAT IS RIGHT.
AT THE TIME OF DIAGNOSIS,
PATIENTS WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES,
40% WILL ALREADY HAVE EYE
DISEASE AND NOT KNOW IT.
UNFORTUNATELY EARLY ON IT IS A
SYMPTOMATIC.
THAT IS WHEN WE WANT TO CATCH
IT.
ONCE YOU ARE HAVING SYMPTOMS AND
VISION LOSS, THEN WE ARE PLAYING
CATCH UP.
THERE ARE SYMPTOMS THAT ARE
COMMON IN DIABETIC EYE DISEASE
INCLUDING FLOATERS AND DECREASED
VISION.
>> IF YOU CATCH IT -- SAY YOU
ARE AT HOME AND YOU HAVE
DIABETES OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO
DOES, IF YOU ARE PROACTIVE, IT
WILL HELP OUT BECAUSE THEN YOU
COULD START TO CONTROL IT BEFORE
IT GETS WORSE?
IS THAT CORRECT ASSUMPTION?
>> THE BEST THING TO DO IS TAKE
THE PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS,
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET,
EXERCISE AND GET THE APPROPRIATE
FOLLOW-UP CARE THAT YOU NEED,
INCLUDING EYE EXAMS.
>> WHEN YOU GO IN FOR AN EYE
EXAM IS IT ANYTHING DIFFERENT?
>> EVERYBODY GETS A
COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAM.
WHEN WE DO COMPREHENSIVE EYE
EXAM WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK INSIDE
AND SEE THE PROBLEM.
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE'LL LOOK
INSIDE THE EYE AND DIAGNOSE A
PATIENT WITH DIABETES BASED ON
THE INFORMATION FROM THEIR EYE.
>> IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, COME
IN AND MAKE SURE.
WHAT ARE THE CHECK POINTS IN
LIFE THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO
SCREENING FOR VISION?
>> IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY
OF DIABETIC EYE DISEASE OR ANY
FAMILY HISTORY OF EYE PROBLEMS,
EVERY YEAR AFTER THE AGE OF 20.
BETWEEN THE AGES OF 20 AND 40 IF
YOU HAVE NO FAMILY HISTORY,
EVERY COUPLE YEARS.
BETWEEN THE AGES AND 40 AND60,
EVERY TWO YEARS.
AND AFTER THE AGE OF 60 EVERY
YEAR YOU WANT TO DO AN EYE EXAM.
>> I SEE THIS ALL THE TIME WITH
MY KIDS WITH HAND HELD DEVICES.
I FEEL LIKE IT IS SUCH A STRAIN
ON THEIR EYES BECAUSE THEY ARE
ALWAYS LOOKING AT IT
WE DIDN'T START REALLY LOOKING
ADD COMPUTERS UNTIL WE WERE IN
OUR LATE TEENS OR EVEN OLDER
THAN THAT.
IS THAT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM IN
THE FUTURE?
SHOULD THEY GET CHECKED OUT MORE
FREQUENTLY AT A YOUNGER AGE?
>> THAT IS AN INTERESTING POINT
YOU BRING UP.
THERE IS THOUGHT THAT THE
INCREASED NUMBER OF -- THAT IS
NOT NECESSARILY A HEALTH PROBLEM
AND IT WON'T NECESSARILY LIMIT
THEIR VISION, BUT IT MAY CHANGE
THE AMOUNT OF --
>> THAT MAKES SENSE.
WHAT IS THIS MODEL YOU HAVE
HERE?
>> THIS IS A MODEL OF THE EYE.
THE EYE WE CAN THINK OF AS AN
OLD SCHOOL CAMERA, PRE-DIGITAL
AGE.
THERE IS A SYSTEM OF LENSES IN
FRONT OF THE EYE AND THEN THE
BACK OF THE EYE IS THE FILM OF
THE CAMERA.
AND IN DIABETES, THE FILM OF THE
CAMERA GETS THICK AND WRINKLED.
THAT DISTORTS THE IMAGE THAT IS
CAPTURED.
>> LOTS OF GREAT INFORMATION.
REALLY IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE
PROACTIVE.
I HAVE THE NUMBER HERE I'M GOING
TO SHARE WITH YOU.
IT IS 904-564-2020 OR YOU CAN GO
TO THE WEBSITE, FLORID
FLORIDAEYESPECIALIST.COM.
ANY QUESTIONS, JUST LOOK THEM UP
AND BE PROACTIVE.
>> ANYONE WITH DIABETES OR EVEN