Diabetes: The No. 1 cause
of preventable blindness in U.S.

By Barbara Rehner
PRESS ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

Better vision health for everyone, regardless of ability to pat, is the mission of The Grand Rapids Lions Club.
Over 6 percent of the population has diabetes, says Rick Walker, vice president of the Grand Rapids Lions and one of the founders of the West Michigan Vision Coalition (WMVC).
The coalition is a new collaboration between the Grand Rapids Lions Club and the West Michigan Optometric Association (WMOA).
“A top priority for us is to tackle the problem of diabetic eye disease, which is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness,” he says.
According to Dr. Mark Swan, a faculty member in the Ferris State University College of Optometry, a WMOA member and a coalition founder, early diagnosis and treatment

of diabetic eye desease is crucial to the prevention of vision loss. More than one-third of diabetics don’t know they have the disease.
“It is important for patients to understand how diabetes may affect their vision, and for all health care providers involved in the patient’s care to be aware of the status of that patient’s eye health,” Swan says.
Several factors influence the risk for diabetic eye disease, especially accurate blood sugar control.
Studies have shown that the development of proliferative retinopathy, which is the most debilitation for mof eye disease, is greatly reduced in patients who accurately control their blood sugar.
“The key to effectively managing

Diabetes lies with good collaboration and communication between all health care providers, with the most important member of the team being the patient,” Swan says.
The WMVC, by way of support programs and education, hopes to get the word out that diabetic eye disease can be prevented.
For information about the West Michigan Vision Coalition, contact Rick Walker at rlwalker@att.net