Diabetes and Sue Townsend

[Dr Jekyll]

Was she exceptionally unlucky or are such complications, including complete blindness, common after 30 years of diabetes even if treated?

[MajorProblem]

If you have diabetes then you should have regular eye tests even if you don't yet show any symptoms, unsure if Sue Townsend was or that it started developing before people were aware.

[BadRotorFinger]

It is a common cause of blindness in the UK

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/diabetic-retinopat...

[Dr Jekyll]

BadRotorFinger said:

It is a common cause of blindness in the UK

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/diabetic-retinopat...

I appreciate that a lot of blind people became blind through diabetes. What I'm asking is how many diabetics become completely blind, and/or suffer the other health complications to the extent that Sue Townsend did.

[BadRotorFinger]

If you look in the section on Epidemiology it has some percentages there, it also has links to further questions you might want.

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Reports/Diabe...

Look at eye disease page 12.

Edited by BadRotorFinger on Saturday 12th April 11:51

[Dr Jekyll]

BadRotorFinger said:

If you look in the section on Epidemiology it has some percentages there, it also has links to further questions you might want.

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Reports/Diabe...

Look at eye disease page 12.

Thanks that's interesting, it seems ST was a bit unlucky.

[DKL]

BadRotorFinger said:

It is a common cause of blindness in the UK

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/diabetic-retinopat...

It is the most common cause of blindness in the working population. 2 things cause problems blood sugar levels and duration. One you can have an effect on the other you can't.
Screening and hospital services are better now than 10 years ago and far fewer people get to end stage retinopathy with lots of treatment along the way but sadly it does still happen.