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17 Oct 2008
Diabetes sufferers are at an increased risk of developing visual impairment, a new study has asserted.
Published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, the research was conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, USA and found that retinal damage was a significant problem for diabetics.
A number of people with and without the disease were surveyed and of these it was found 11 per cent of diabetic adults suffered from visual impairment - compared to 5.9 per cent of those without.
However, of the participants with diabetes, 3.8 per cent had retinal problems that could not be corrected - as opposed to the 1.4 per cent of non-diabetics.
Dr Xinzhi Zhang, one of the physicians behind the study, said: "It is important to identify and pursue ways to increase access to eye care for everyone and to correct visual impairment, where possible."
Earlier this month, a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International survey found common intestinal bacteria could protect against the development of Type 1 diabetes.
Click here to visit the Diabetes Quick Guide
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