Diabetes can Increase Risk of Glaucoma

Fri, 19 Aug 2011
A University of Michigan study has highlighted that diabetics who also have high blood pressure may in addition have an increased risk of developing open-angle glaucoma (OAG).

The research team reviewed records of 2 million people aged 40 plus who were part of a managed care network in America; they visited an optician once or more between 2001 and 2007.

The researchers discovered that diabetics had a 35 per cent increased risk of developing OAG and those with just hypertension had a 17 per cent increased risk.

For diabetics who also had hypertension, there was a 48 per cent increased likelihood of developing OAG, the most usual kind of glaucoma in the States.

The study focused on the possible associations between various components of metabolic syndrome-a collection of conditions that includes obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels)-that affects one fifth of the U.S. population.

While the researchers found that diabetes and hypertension increased the risk of OAG, the study showed that high cholesterol in fact lowered the likelihood of developing the disease by 5 per cent. These findings could pave the way for improved treatments for glaucoma.

It is of concern that those who have diabetes and hypertension are more susceptible to eye conditions, such as, diabetic retinopathy, a condition which harms the retina's blood vessels.

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