Eye Care About My ABCs
Eye Care About My ABCs (a Healthy Eyes Healthy People Project of the Indiana Optometric Association sponsored by the American Optometric Association and Vision Services Plan) is a project which focuses on A1C, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol to help control diabetes so individuals living with the disease may live a longer and healthier life. We know that eye care professionals play a significant role in diabetes management by providing access to effective interventions for those living with and at risk for diabetes; thus, the project will help the community and healthcare professionals understand that timely and appropriate eye care is as important to controlling diabetes and reducing diabetes-related complications as knowing the ABCs.
The main goal: To help reduce diabetes-related ocular morbidity in Indiana by increasing the community's awareness via health care professionals and strengthen the vision care referral system for people with diabetes who are underserved.
If your organization is interested in having an educational presentation, vision screening, and/or participation in a community health fair, please contact us.
| A1C: | This test measures average blood glucose levels over the last 3 months |
| Blood Pressure: | High blood pressure causes heart disease |
| Cholesterol: | Bad cholesterol, or LDL, builds up and clogs your arteries |
Target levels for people with diabetes:
- A1C is less than 7
- Glucose range for whole blood is 80-120 before meals and 100-140 at bedtime
- Blood pressure is less than 130/80
- LDL cholesterol is less than 100
- Create collaborative learning opportunities and referral systems among health care professionals (diabetes educators, podiatrists, dentists, primary care physicians, eye care professionals, etc.).
- Develop local resource books and speaker tool kits to help you speak to your patients and to the public about their increased risks of diabetic eye disease and other adverse health conditions.
- Establish linkages with community health centers as well as state and local professional agencies to implement cultural and consistent mechanisms of awareness, education, and coordination of health service delivery for people with diabetes.
Download the "Diabetic Eye Disease: Eye Care about My ABCs'" presentation . . .
- For community (in English): [MS PowerPoint] or [PDF]
- For community (in Spanish): [MS PowerPoint] or [PDF]
- For professionals: [MS PowerPoint] or [PDF]
We have comprehensive educational material for both you and your patients. Please contact us to obtain an Eye Care about My ABCs toolkit which contains a variety of educational materials you can put together according to your patients' needs.
- Talk to your health care providers:For more information on controlling your diabetes, sit down and talk with your healthcare provider about glucose levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
- Get physical: Be more active--walk, dance, swim, and play.
- Eat healthy: Smaller portions. More vegetables. Less salt, fat, and sugar.
- Quit smoking: Tobacco use increases your risk of diabetes complications.
- Medication management: Team up with your pharmacist and make a list of all your medicines, including their strengths and the way you take them, to share with your healthcare provider.
- Foot care: Team up with your foot care provider and get a complete foot exam each year.
- Dental care: Team up with your dental care provider and get a complete mouth exam twice a year (once a year if you have no teeth).
- Get an annual dilated eye exam: Discuss how good control of your blood glucose levels can protect your vision and/or what can be done if you have vision loss.
Why do I need to be dilated?
Diagram courtesy of National Eye Institute
- Diabetic eye disease usually has early warning signs. [Answer]
- You can protect your vision by keeping your A1C and blood pressure in your target range. [Answer]
- High blood pressure damages your blood vessels. [Answer]
- People with diabetes should have yearly eye examinations. [Answer]
- People with diabetes are at low risk for developing glaucoma. [Answer]
- Your diabetes doctor can check your eyes so you don't have to see an eye doctor. [Answer]
- Your eye sight will change when you have diabetic eye disease. [Answer]
- People who have good control of their diabetes are not at high risk of diabetic eye disease. [Answer]
- Cataracts are common among people with diabetes. [Answer]
- The risk of blindness from diabetic eye disease can be reduced. [Answer]
