FINE EYEWEAR & Eye Care Library » Diabetes

Study determines if the eye is mirror to the heart

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:59:26 +0000

The University of Edinburgh is conducting a study to determine whether scanning blood vessels in the eyes can help detect heart disease

The researchers will use high definition scans of the eyes of more than 1,000 patients suspected of having heart disease. They will look for signs like changes in blood vessel width or suspicious branching, which may be linked to heart disease. Developing this type of method could avoid the need for invasive procedures such as biopsies and angiograms.

“We know that problems in the eye are linked to conditions such as diabetes and that abnormalities in the eye’s blood vessels can also indicate vascular problems in the brain,” says Dr. Tom MacGillivray, researcher at the University of Edinburgh, where he manages the image analysis laboratory at the Clinical Research Imaging Centre. “If we can identify early problems in the blood vessels in the eyes we might potentially pinpoint signs of heart disease. This could help identify people who would benefit from early lifestyle changes and preventative therapies.”

Exercise May Result In Epigenetic Modifications To DNA and Regulate Insulin Levels

admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:49:55 +0000

The CBS News (3/7, Castillo) “HealthPop” blog reported, “A new study in the March issue of Cell Metabolism shows that that when people exercise for something as little as a 20 minute workout, it can alter their DNA almost immediately.” Investigators “concluded that…’epigenetic modifications’ seem to be the early precursor to the genetic reprogramming of muscle for strength, structure and the metabolic benefits of exercise.” The study suggested why “exercise is one known way to maintain insulin sensitivity of organs and prevent diabetes,” since a “previous study showed that diabetics have different DNA methyl group patterns than healthy individuals, partially explaining why they cannot regulate their insulin levels.” Also covering the story are Fox News /NewsCore (3/8) and the UK’s Daily Mail (3/8, Macrae).

Frequent Walking May Help Regulate Glucose, Insulin Levels. Reuters (3/8, Grens) reports that according to a study published in the journal Diabetes Care, taking a walking break every twenty minutes, rather than prolonged sitting, could help regulate the body’s glucose and insulin levels after meals. This would prevent large spikes in blood sugar and insulin that are linked to heart disease and diabetes.

Diabetic Retinopathy Potentially Related To Vitamin D Insufficiency

admin — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:08:45 +0000

MedPage Today (10/20, Gever) reported that, according to research presented at an ophthalmology meeting, “diabetic retinopathy may be added to the list of conditions potentially related to vitamin D insufficiency.” Specifically, “a study of 123 diabetic individuals with varying degrees of retinopathy, along with two groups of controls, showed that low vitamin D levels were significantly more common in those with the diabetic complication.” In fact, “vitamin D insufficiency was found in 81% of the proliferative retinopathy group.”

In a poster presentation here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s annual meeting, Payne also reported that multivitamin use appeared to be helpful in preventing vitamin D insufficiency — at least as currently defined.

“If you were taking a daily multivitamin, your mean vitamin D [25-hydroxyvitamin D] was about 31 [ng/mL] versus about 22 if you weren’t taking a multivitamin,” he told MedPage Today. Because 30 ng/mL was the cutoff Payne and colleagues had used to define insufficiency, “now you’re up to the optimum level.”

But he acknowledged that some researchers have begun to advocate for higher levels of daily vitamin D intake and serum levels of the 25-OH-D metabolite, relative to current norms, as necessary for health.

The synopsis of the study can be found at the above link.

Eyes Reflect Overall Health

fineeyewear — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:53:26 +0000

A comprehensive eye exam looks at many facets of” both eye and overall health. The eyes “hold clues to other events in the body, and the condition of the body affects the eyes. This is important, because some conditions, particularly circulatory issues” and diabetes, may seriously affect vision and the eyes themselves. Often, early signs these diseases will first show up in the eyes. An annual comprehensive eye exam is one of the best early detection methods available. If you want to save money, save it by skipping a dining excursion out on the town, but don’t neglect your eye health.

Fine Eyewear & Eyecare is a full service eye care facility specializing in Glaucoma management and early detection of Glaucoma and other systemic problems. Our eye care facility is staffed by an eye doctor and we’re are near Avery Ranch in the 78717 zip code. We’re located in the Heb shopping center at Parmer and 1431. You can find more information at www.FineEyewear.Net

CDC study predicts dramatic rise in diabetes-related vision problems

fineeyewear — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:57:35 +0000

MedPage Today (12/8, Phend) reported that, according to a study published in the Dec. issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, the “prevalence of retinopathy, glaucoma, and other vision problems related to diabetes” is “projected to rise dramatically over the next four decades.” For the study, Jinan B. Saaddine, M.D., M.P.H., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and colleagues, utilized the “National Health Interview Survey and census data” to project that, “with rising diabetes rates, the number of Americans 40 and older with diabetic retinopathy will triple by 2050,” and the “number of diabetic patients with cataracts and glaucoma will likely double or triple as well.” The projections are based on “a steady increase in the total U.S. population, an increase in the average age of the population, and disproportionate growth in the number of Hispanics and blacks, among whom the prevalence of diabetes is higher than among whites.”

importance of annual dilated eye examinations for people with diabetes

fineeyewear — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:55:10 +0000

In a Health Watch column, the Gate House News Service (11/10) reported that of the approximately “23 million Americans” who “are affected by diabetes…almost six million are unaware that they have the disease.” If diabetes goes undiagnosed, it can “result in vision impairment…and blindness.” Patients with diabetes should consider having “a dilated eye examination on at least an annual basis,” or even “more often” if they have “existing eye issues or more serious retinopathy.” In the process of a thorough eye examination, an optometrist “will perform a variety of tests, including looking in [the] eyes with lights and lenses that magnify the view of the retina, to identify signs of diabetes and other eye-related health problems.”