Eye-Opening (+6 steps to protect your vision)



Andrea – October is Blindness Awareness Month. What does that have to do with diabetes? A lot actually – diabetes is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness among adults here in the U.S. Over time, high blood sugar levels from diabetes can lead to damage of the retina, the layer on the back of the eye that captures images and sends them to the brain. *Eye damage can be occurring without* any initial symptoms!** That is why it is so important for people with diabetes to get regular eye examinations and catch problems before serious retinal changes occur.
But there is still so much we do not know – that’s why we are dedicating resources to invest in research and learn more about how diabetic retinopathy works and figure out the best ways to prevent and treat it. We also want to raise awareness among people living with diabetes about risks and steps to protect their vision. Andrea, your support is the key to advancing our life-saving research and education efforts to fight diabetes and its complications. Please make a secure, tax-deductible online gift today – Andrea, any amount you are able to contribute will be greatly appreciated. Also, we wanted to make sure you saw this article about 6 steps to protect your eyes – please share it with anyone you think would benefit from them. Thank you again, Andrea. Your commitment and support are the key to reducing the challenging complications of diabetes through prevention and better treatments. Sincerely, The American Diabetes Association