12/5/2016

www.medscape.com/viewarticle/872745_print

www.medscape.com

OptometristsIDHugeNumberofPatientsWithUndiagnosed
Diabetes
PamHarrison

December05,2016

Doctorsofoptometry(OD)intheUSpickedupalmostonequarterofamillionpatientsin2014alonewhohaddiabetesbutwere
unawaretheyhaditandwhowerethusnotbeingtreated,thelatestAmericanEyeQSurveyconductedbytheAmerican
OptometricAssociation(AOA)indicates.
ThesurveywasreleasedtocoincidewithAmericanDiabetesMonthinNovember.
"Yes,itisanamazingnumber,butpeopledon'trealizethatdoctorsofoptometryprovidethemajorityofeyecareintheUS,"
AOApresidentAndreaThau,OD,toldMedscapeMedicalNewsinaninterview.
"Wearein6500communitiesacrossthecountry,andaspartofourcomprehensiveeyeexamination,wetakedetailedmedical
histories,wecheckbloodpressure,weaskwhenpatientswerelastseenbyaphysicianandabouttheircurrenthealth
conditionsaswellaswhatmedicationstheyareon,becauseallofthesethingshaveanimpactoneyeandoverallhealth,"she
explained.
"Andformanypatients,wearesometimestheonlymedicalproviderbeingseen,andthenumberofpeoplewefoundwith
previouslyundiagnoseddiabetesgivesyouanideaofthemagnitudeofpeoplewhoarenotgoingforregularmedicalcare,"she
stressed.
SeeingIntotheBodyWithoutBeingInvasive
AndDrThaupointedout,theeyeistheonlypartofthebodywherepractitionerscanvisualizebloodvesselswithoutcuttinginto
thebody.
"Whatwearelookingforaredilationsofthevesselsandsmallhemorrhagesandleakagesasearlysignsofchangeintheback
oftheeye,"sheexplained.
Doctorsofoptometrycanalsoidentifyshiftsorchangesinapatient'srefractiveerrorwhendiabetesisnotwellcontrolled,she
added.
"Oncewefinddiabetes,weeducatepatientsabouttheimportanceofgettingacomprehensivephysicalcheckupwiththeir
physician,"DrThausaid.
Thenextstepistosendalettertotheprimarycarephysicianortrytocontactthemandattempttofollowpatientsuptomake
suretheyarebeingseenbyaphysician.
Dependingonthepatient'sageandhowwellcontrolledtheirdiabetesis,patientsareencouragedtoreturnforacomprehensive
eyeexamtwiceayeartoensuretheireyehealthremainsaswellpreservedaspossible.
"Weoftentakecareofpatientsfromthecradletothegrave,sothereisaleveloftrustthatpeoplehavewiththeirdoctorof
optometry,andIthinktheyknowwereallydocareaboutthemandwewantthemtogetbetterandstaywell,"sheobserved.
"Sowearereallyanintegralpartofthediabetescareteamandonfollowup,wecanassesswhetherpatientsarebeing
compliantwiththeirmedications,whattheirHbA1clevelsare,howtheireyeslook,andwhethertheyneedtospeakwiththeir
primarycarephysicianandaskforareferraltoanutritionist,forexample,sotheycanbecounseledonhowtotakebettercare
ofthemselves.
"Youonlygetonepairofeyeballs,soit'sreallyimportantforpatientstounderstandthevalueofgettingacomprehensiveeye
examwithadoctorofoptometryonanannualbasisbecausewecanmonitoranddetectchangesveryearlyonandprotectand
preserveapatient'svisionandtheiroverallhealth,"DrThaustressed.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/872745_print

1/2

12/5/2016

www.medscape.com/viewarticle/872745_print

TheEyeQSurveyindicatedthatonly54%ofpatientswithdiabetesregularlyvisittheirdoctorofoptometryforacomprehensive
annualeyeexam.
Thismightberelatedtothefactthatfewerthanhalfofthosesurveyed,at41%,understandthatdiabetescanbedetected
throughacomprehensiveeyeexam.
Thesurveyalsoshowedthatdoctorsofoptometrydiagnoseddiabeticretinopathyin14%ofpatientswithdiabetes.Diabetesis
theleadingcauseofblindnessinindividualsundertheageof74.
Inadditiontopickingupasystemicproblemsuchasdiabetes,"wecanalsoseesignsofhypertensionandotherbloodvessel
diseases,"DrThaunoted.
Theeyeisanextensionofthebrain,sodoctorsofoptometryareinanidealpositiontodetectneurologicalproblemsaswell
braintumors,multiplesclerosis,aneurysms,allofwhichDrThausaysshehasidentifiedduringhercareerasadoctorof
optometry.
Formorediabetesandendocrinologynews,followusonTwitterandonFacebook.

MedscapeMedicalNews2016
Citethisarticle:OptometristsIDHugeNumberofPatientsWithUndiagnosedDiabetes.Medscape.Dec05,2016.

ThiswebsiteusescookiestodeliveritsservicesasdescribedinourCookiePolicy.Byusingthiswebsite,youagreetotheuseof
cookies.
close

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/872745_print

2/2