Positive Link Between
Glaucoma and Type 2 Diabetes - Most Common Form of Both Diseases are
Related According to Study
July 14th 2006
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Eye screening |
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New research has discovered a link between the most common type of
glaucoma and type 2 diabetes. Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), the
most common form of glaucoma, is “positively associated” with the most
common form of diabetes.
Dr. Louis Pasquale, M.D. says “The study supports the notion that type 2
diabetes is associated with an increased risk of glaucoma. While
obesity fuels the type 2 diabetes epidemic, it appears that factors
unrelated to obesity contribute to the positive association between type
2 diabetes and glaucoma. We were surprised to find this. Our study had a
large enough sample to allow us to focus on type-2 diabetes only and to
study its relation to newly diagnosed POAG cases. We were also able to
correct for other factors that could contribute to glaucoma. Our work
suggests, but in now way proves, that factors other than lifestyle
behavior contributing to insulin resistance could lead to elevated
intraocular pressure and glaucoma." Pasquale is lead author of the
study and co-director of the Glaucoma Service at the Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) and an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at
Harvard Medical School.
The data for this research was extrapolated from the 20-year study of
women in the Nurses' Health Study. They looked at over 76,000 women who
were enrolled in the Nurses study. Eligible participants were at least
40 years old, did not have POAG at the beginning of the study, and
reported receiving eye exams during follow-up.
They took into account the woman’s age, race, hypertension, body mass
index, physical activity, alcohol intake, smoking and family history of
glaucoma. Interestingly the relation between type 2 diabetes and POAG
did not increase with longer durations of type-2 diabetes.
POAG affects more than 2 million individuals in the US and is one of the
leading causes of blindness. The researchers expect as the US
population ages, the number of individuals affected by the disease will
increase to more than 3 million by 2020.
The study is published in the July issue of the journal Ophthalmology.
Dan Wilson
Best Syndication
Eye Care Products
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