What Is DME?
This patient education program is supported by an educational grant from Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.
Produced in collaboration with Prevent Blindness
In people living with diabetes, diabetic macular edema (DME) can occur over time if consistently high blood sugar due to poor glucose control damages small blood vessels in the body, including the eye. Even if diagnosed, patients find it difficult to adhere to aggressive treatment regimens that require frequent injections in the eye to maintain vision. This heavy burden affects both patients and their caregivers, impeding their ability to work, function, and interact socially.
Join us for a interactive online event where a panel of ophthalmologists, optometrists, patient advocates, and patients discuss the importance of yearly screenings to ensure early detection and management of DME. Expert panelists also review current and emerging treatment strategies to preserve vision and devices and tools to reduce disease and treatment burden for patients. Learn strategies to help communicate your treatment expectations, engage in shared decision-making with doctors and other care professionals, and ensure access to holistic care that includes control of risk factors.
The panel also examines how under-resourced populations face a greater risk of diabetes, a bigger burden from DME, and more barriers to proper healthcare. Collectively, these issues result in frustrated patients and caregivers, poor visual outcomes, and impaired quality of life due to reduced independence.
Learning objectives:
- What puts you at risk of developing DME
- The importance of a comprehensive eye examination for DME to enhance your chances of maintaining vision and independence
- Solutions that may exist in your community to help you access eye examinations, care, and treatments for DME
- Current and emerging therapeutic options and how they can benefit you and/or your caregiver
- How to build confidence in taking an active role in your care, including therapy selection, diabetes control, and steps to optimize the benefits of treatment
Click here to watch on demand.
Chapters
Speakers
Rishi Singh, MD
Mark Dunbar, OD, FAAO
Serena Valentine, MBA-HCM
Nita Sinha
Rishi Singh, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology, Lerner College of Medicine Case Western Reserve University Staff Physician, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Rishi P. Singh, MD, is a staff surgeon at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic and Professor of Ophthalmology at the Lerner College of Medicine in Cleveland Ohio. He also currently serves as the medical director of informatics at the Cleveland Clinic.
He specializes in the treatment of medical and surgical retinal disease such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, and age-related macular degeneration. Dr. Singh has authored more than 170 peer reviewed publications, books, and book chapters and serves as the principal investigator of numerous national clinical trials advancing the treatment of retinal disease. Dr. Singh is the former president on the Retina World Congress and is on the board of the American Society of Retina Specialists.
Mark Dunbar, OD, FAAO
Director of Optometric Services
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
Serena Valentine, MBA-HCM
Diabetes Peer Educator/Person living with Type 2 diabetes and vision loss
Ms. Serena Valentine, MBA-HCM, is the Executive Director of the CORE Initiative, a health and wellness education nonprofit organization in Houston, Texas; the organization works to make a difference in society through providing resources to all citizens and preparing all generations for success. Ms. Valentine is living with Type 2 diabetes and works as a diabetes peer educator with Cities Changing Diabetes, a global initiative that is managed by Novo Nordisk. In addition to her role at the CORE Initiative and Cities Changing Diabetes, Ms. Valentine works with Prevent Blindness to promote eye health and bring awareness to the connection between diabetes & vision loss.
Nita Sinha
Director, Public Health at Prevent Blindness
Nita Sinha, OD, MPH, is the current Director of Public Health at Prevent Blindness since December 2009. At Prevent Blindness, Nita has led professional and public education around vision and eye health through annual summits, educational toolkits, awareness campaigns, and webinars. She staffs the organization’s scientific committee and has previously worked on federal grants. Before joining Prevent Blindness, Nita worked at the American Academy of Pediatrics on the Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program providing technical assistance to federally funded maternal and child health programs. Prior to then, she was a Program Manager at Helen Keller International working on eye health programs in the United States, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
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Rishi Singh, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology, Lerner College of Medicine Case Western Reserve University Staff Physician, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Rishi P. Singh, MD, is a staff surgeon at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic and Professor of Ophthalmology at the Lerner College of Medicine in Cleveland Ohio. He also currently serves as the medical director of informatics at the Cleveland Clinic.
He specializes in the treatment of medical and surgical retinal disease such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, and age-related macular degeneration. Dr. Singh has authored more than 170 peer reviewed publications, books, and book chapters and serves as the principal investigator of numerous national clinical trials advancing the treatment of retinal disease. Dr. Singh is the former president on the Retina World Congress and is on the board of the American Society of Retina Specialists. -
Mark Dunbar, OD, FAAO
Director of Optometric Services
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine Bascom Palmer Eye Institute -
Serena Valentine, MBA-HCM
Diabetes Peer Educator/Person living with Type 2 diabetes and vision loss
Ms. Serena Valentine, MBA-HCM, is the Executive Director of the CORE Initiative, a health and wellness education nonprofit organization in Houston, Texas; the organization works to make a difference in society through providing resources to all citizens and preparing all generations for success. Ms. Valentine is living with Type 2 diabetes and works as a diabetes peer educator with Cities Changing Diabetes, a global initiative that is managed by Novo Nordisk. In addition to her role at the CORE Initiative and Cities Changing Diabetes, Ms. Valentine works with Prevent Blindness to promote eye health and bring awareness to the connection between diabetes & vision loss. -
Nita Sinha
Director, Public Health at Prevent Blindness
Nita Sinha, OD, MPH, is the current Director of Public Health at Prevent Blindness since December 2009. At Prevent Blindness, Nita has led professional and public education around vision and eye health through annual summits, educational toolkits, awareness campaigns, and webinars. She staffs the organization’s scientific committee and has previously worked on federal grants. Before joining Prevent Blindness, Nita worked at the American Academy of Pediatrics on the Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program providing technical assistance to federally funded maternal and child health programs. Prior to then, she was a Program Manager at Helen Keller International working on eye health programs in the United States, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
RESOURCES
Diabetes & Your Eyes - English Fact Sheets
- Diabetes & Your Eyes – General Information
- Diabetes & Your Eyes – Diabetes-related Retinopathy – Symptoms + Risks
- Diabetes & Your Eyes – Diabetes-related Retinopathy – Diagnosis, Treatment, & Prevention
- Diabetes & Your Eyes – Diabetes-related Eye Disease and Mental Health
La Diabetes y Sus Ojos - Spanish Fact Sheets
- La Diabetes y Sus Ojos – Enfermedades oculares y salud mental relacionadas con la diabetes
- La Diabetes y Sus Ojos – Retinopatía relacionada con la diabetes – Síntomas y riesgo
- La Diabetes y Sus Ojos – Retinopatía relacionada con la diabetes – Diagnóstico, Tratamiento, y Prevención
- La Diabetes y Sus Ojos – Enfermedades oculares y salud mental relacionadas con la diabetes
Vision Care Financial Assistance Information - English
Información de Asistencia Financiera - Spanish
