Diabetes leads to eye disease in nearly 30% of U.S. diabetics over the age of 40, new research finds.
The Centers for Disease Control study is one of only a few to quantify the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, in which the retina’s blood vessels are damaged, according to a WebMD report. While 28.5% of 40-plus diabetics have the disease, 4.4% suffer from the vision-threatening form of it, the study shows.
The disease is the leading cause of new cases of legal blindness in the U.S. among people aged 20 to 74, and treating diabetes-related blindness costs about $500 million annually, the study also says.
The findings demonstrate the need for more comprehensive eye care, especially among diabetics at risk of developing retinopathy, the researchers say. The study appears this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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