ndidates for a kidney transplant if a suitable donor organ is available. 3. Diabetic Neuropathy (damage to the nerves). Diabetes can also cause a complication called Diabetic Neuropathy which is damage to the peripheral nerves. These nerves run throughout the body, connecting the spinal cord to muscles, skin, blood vessels, and all other organs. Most importantly, they serve as the primary link between the central nervous system and the entire body. Diabetes is a common cause of peripheral neuropathy; however, this condition can also result from injury, alcoholism, or other factors. Almost all people with diabetes eventually develop some peripheral nerve involvement, but for many, it is slight and produces no symptoms. For the 10 to 25 percent who suffer from serious neuropathy, it can produce problems such as tingling and numbness in the feet, dizziness, impotence, leg pain and double vision. 4. Diabetic Retinopathy (damaged retina). Diabetes is the leading cause of partial loss of vision and new blindness in the United States today. Generally, diabetes affects the retina of the eye and produces a variety of changes referred to as diabetic retinopathy. Less frequent, but no less serious, are several other eye problems caused by diabetes including cataracts, glaucoma, and optic nerve disease. While many persons with diabetes undergo some changes in the retina, only about 3 percent are seriously threatened with blindness. Today, there are approximately 150,000 Americans who suffer significant visual impairment due to diabetic retinopathy. Although the way in which diabetes damages eye tissue is not known, two important treatments have been developed in recent years. The first, laser photocoagulation, uses finely focused beams of laser light to seal off and destroy abnormal retinal vessels and diseased tissues. While this treatment does not prevent diabetic changes from taking place, it has proven beneficial in reducing the risk of severe...
