Regular eye exam required for diabetic patients

By Lee Kyung-min

Diabetic patients should regularly visit an ophthalmologist for an eye exam at least once a year, to monitor possible development of complications, experts said Sunday.

One such complication is diabetic retinopathy, in which damage occurs to a part of the back of the eye called the retina, the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue.

Doctors say undergoing a regular eye examination is crucial for early diagnosis of the disease as it has no symptoms or only mild vision problems at first. However, it can result in vision loss eventually.

“Most patients come to us after they have blurred vision, which is too late. The symptoms begin to appear after the disease has progressed to about 60 or 70 percent,” said Sung Min-chul, an ophthalmologist at Sungmo Eye Center in southern Seoul. “The exam can help diagnose other diabetes-related eye complications such as cataracts.”

According to 2015 data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, of 2.39 million diabetic patients in Korea, about 15 percent had diabetic retinopathy.

While only 1 or 2 percent of those aged between 20 and 39 suffered from the complication, almost 9 percent of those in 40s had it. The number sharply increased to 24 percent for those in their 50s.

According to separate data, it took on average at least eight years for diabetic patients to undergo an eye exam.

“The data show how patients are unaware of the grave consequences of developing diabetic eye diseases. Patients should see an ophthalmologist regularly as most such diseases are treatable,” he added.

Those diagnosed with macular edema, also commonly found among diabetic retinopathy patients, should undergo an eye exam every four months, he added.

Macular edema refers to the build-up of fluid in the macula, an area in the center of the retina responsible for sharp, clear and straight-ahead vision.

The build-up causes the macula to thicken and swell, which ends up distorting vision.

“Given that compromised vision and vision loss causes major discomfort to the patients and their lives are bound to be affected by the diseases, I recommend that they pay more attention when they can.”

Meanwhile, diabetic patients are required to pay close attention to their blood sugar level in summer as it is greatly affected by the scorching heat.

The blood glucose levels rises if a person becomes dehydrated after sweating profusely due to the heat or strenuous physical activity.

This can lead to frequent urination, which in turn leads to further dehydration and even higher blood sugar levels, an event which doctors call a “vicious cycle.”