patvann/cms131v6-diabetes-eye-exam

CMS131v6 - Diabetes: Eye Exam

As the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., diabetes kills approximately 75,000 people a year (CDC FastStats 2015). Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high blood glucose levels, resulting from the body's inability to produce or use insulin (CDC Statistics 2014, ADA Basics 2013). People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation of toes, feet or legs, and premature death. (CDC Fact Sheet 2014).

In 2012, diabetes cost the U.S. an estimated $245 billion: $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in reduced productivity. This is a 41 percent increase from the estimated $174 billion spent on diabetes in 2007 (ADA Economic 2013).

In 2005-2008, of adults with diabetes aged 40 years or older, 4.2 million (28.5%) people had diabetic retinopathy, damage to the small blood vessels in the retina that may result in loss of vision. (CDC Statistics, 2014).