American Optometric Association (AOA) reports that people with diabetes experience a fatal outcome, three times more often than others, infected with COVID-19. The disease in America affects more than 29 million people, and half of those who died of COVID-19 under the age of 65 had diabetes. People with diabetes often have vision problems.
PLX Academy · News · 14 February 2021
This data, led the American Optometric Association (AOA) to appeal for regular eye examinations, especially during the pandemic. In addition, they recommend a healthy diet, regular exercise, nicotine avoidance and prescribed therapy.
“Your ophthalmologist can be your biggest ally in the battle against COVID-19. Early detection of diabetic retinopathy will save your eyesight and at the same time you can avoid other serious complications, such as microvascular disease and diabetic neuropathy. Regular eye exams detect cataracts and glaucoma in time which can also be a serious threat to the eyes. In a time of COVID-19, the risk of complications increased and the need for eye exams is mandatory”, says ophthalmologist Omar Punjabi, MD, from the Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Associates, P.A.