In a column in Health News Digest (12/16), optometrist Barry Kay, O.D., pointed out that “diabetes is becoming an epidemic in the” U.S. A recent study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology found that the “prevalence of retinopathy, glaucoma, and other vision problems related to diabetes is projected to rise dramatically over the next four decades.” During “a comprehensive eye examination, optometrists can detect and diagnose diabetes and start patients on the road to treatment for the disease,” Dr. Kay explained. By “using the latest technology, such as scanning laser ophthalmoscopy or even a more traditional dilated fundus exam,” optometrists “can look inside the eye and examine blood vessels directly, detecting signs and symptoms of vascular diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.” Because undiagnosed diabetes “can result in vision impairment, a frequent complication of both Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes,” Dr. Kay urged people with diabetes to undergo regular eye examinations