by Peter J. Nebergall, PhD
DIABETIC EYE DISEASE: Lessons From A Diabetic Eye Doctor, by A. Paul
Chous, MA, OD. Fairwood Press, 2003. Price: $15.99 plus shipping, available
from Fairwood Press (www.fairwoodpress.com) or from Dr. Chous at: (www.diabeticeyes.com);
or at telephone: (425) 432-5929.
There is usually a yawning (pun intended) gap between "professional"
medical literature and the "dumbed-down" texts doctors put out for
the consumer. The motivated consumer, who really wants to know, but lacks medical
training, often has to choose between incomprehension and disappointment. Not
here. Not this time. Dr. Chous comes to his material from both sides. He is
a trained medical professional, ready to help you save your eyes; but he also
is a diabetic, with personal experience.
His book covers basic definitions of diabetes and eye disease, the forms of
damage diabetes can take, and what to do about preventing or minimizing eye
damage. He shows how diabetes does what it does to the eyes -- and what you
ought to do about it. He details what you should expect from your eye doctor,
and from your examination.
Spread throughout the book are his uniquely useful observations, like the fact
that changes in blood sugar control can alter eye-test results, causing rapid
apparent changes in "prescription." He discusses LASIK corrective
eye surgery, and the fact it may not be a really good idea for diabetics. He
feels the same about contact lenses -- that they present additional problems
when diabetes is present. And there is much more.
If you are truly motivated to manage your diabetes, if you are one of those
people who practices "tight control," uses a sliding scale to get
the best possible control, this book is for you. There's a lot of material in
here, but none of it "out of reach" - so take the time, go through
it, and put his suggestions into practice. This book has my highest recommendation.