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NEWS FROM UT MEDICAL GROUP INC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 26, 2010
CONTACT - Joy Sutherland, 901-866-8383
If You Have Diabetes, Your Risk for 
Glaucoma May be Higher
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month
Memphis, Tennessee (January 26, 2010) —People with diabetes face special risks from glaucoma, a silent eye disease that can cause permanent blindness if left untreated.
“Only about half of the people who now have glaucoma are aware that they do,” says Dr. Sarwat Salim, an ophthalmologist with UT Medical Group Inc. and director of the Glaucoma Service at the Hamilton Eye Institute. “To end blindness from glaucoma, we need millions more Americans to become aware of this disease and get eye exams in time. It’s even more important for people with diabetes.”
Dr. Salim will conduct a free seminar: Focus on Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration & Cataracts on Tuesday, March 23rd, 6:30 p.m. at the UT Medical Group Office, 7945 Wolf River Boulevard, Germantown.Call 901-347-8100 for information and reservations.
Both diabetes and glaucoma are leading causes of blindness. In their early stages these diseases often have few symptoms, so damage may occur before people know they need treatment. Several large studies suggest that people with diabetes are more likely to develop glaucoma, and other data shows that glaucoma patients who are diabetic are more likely to suffer vision damage. If caught early, diabetes and glaucoma can usually be managed and vision can be saved.
Glaucoma damages the optic nerve that transmits images from the eye to the brain. As glaucoma worsens, cells also die in the retina---a special, light-sensitive area of the eye---which further reduces the optic nerve’s ability to relay visual information to the brain. In the most common form of the disease, primary open-angle glaucoma, the first noticeable symptom is often the narrowing of peripheral vision, followed by the appearance of other blank areas in the visual field. Symptoms of the less common but more acutely dangerous form, closed-angle glaucoma, include blurred vision, severe eye pain and headache, rainbow-colored halos around lights, and nausea and vomiting. Anyone with these symptoms needs to be seen by an ophthalmologist right away.
This January during Glaucoma Awareness Month, Dr. Salim reminds diabetics that it’s important to get an annual comprehensive eye exam to prevent vision loss from glaucoma and other eye diseases. To make an appointment, call 901-448-6650. For more information about glaucoma and other health topics, visit www.utmedicalgroup.com <http://www.utmedicalgroup.com> or www.geteyesmart.org.
UT Medical Group is the private group practice affiliated with the UT Health Science Center College of Medicine faculty. A not-for-profit, non-tax-supported group practice, UTMG is dedicated to quality patient care, medical education, and medical research. For more information, visit www.utmedicalgroup.com.
For more information about UT Medical Group News and Events contact:
Joy T. Sutherland
Manager, Public Relations & Publications
UT Medical Group, Inc.
1407 Union Ave., Suite 660 • Memphis, TN 38104
901-866-8383 (phone), 901-302-2383 (fax), 901-524-6581 (pager*)
Visit us online at www.utmedicalgroup.com
For media inquiries: utmgmedia@yahoo.com
*If you are a reporter and need information during non-business hours, please call the number above and follow paging instructions.
| Information and links found on the UT Medical Group, Inc. web site are neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency call your healthcare provider immediately. |