Lilly survey reveals diabetes patient blindness concerns

A survey commissioned by Eli Lilly and Lions Clubs International has discovered that more patients with diabetes in the US are afraid of losing their vision than they are of premature death.

According to the study, 41 per cent of adults with diabetes claimed that non-correctable vision loss and blindness was their greatest fear, while 16 per cent stated that their biggest worry was premature death.

Donald Fong, assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of California, said: “While annual dilated eye exams are considered a standard of care with diabetes, in reality, many patients do not get this annual exam.”

He added that patients in advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy can be identified and through such eye examinations, with treatments available to reduce the chances of vision loss.

The survey saw a similar pattern in the UK and other test countries, with the survey revealing that patients were more fearful of blindness than death.

Last month, Lilly revealed that the European Commission had given marketing authorisation to Byetta (exenatide) for the treatment of patients with type two diabetes.

The incretin mimetic gained approval for use as an adjunctive therapy for patients that had not achieved sufficient blood sugar control through treatment with metformin and sulfonylurea.