BALTIMORE, MD, October 31, 2019 – Deadly. Blinding. Costly. Epidemic. These are the words used to describe diabetes, a devastating condition affecting more than 30 million Americans (about 9.4% of the population). Of those, nearly 30 percent (or 10 million people), have diabetic retinopathy, a potentially blinding disease that costs Americans more than $500 million every year.

The new Versant Health white paper, The health and financial costs of diabetic retinopathy, outlines the toll both physically and financially that diabetic retinopathy can take on a person. Not only can the disease have a debilitating impact on vision, but medical costs associated with diabetic retinopathy are higher than with other diabetes-related conditions, including neuropathy and chronic kidney disease.

“Early intervention is critical when it comes to the successful treatment of diabetic retinopathy,” says Mark Ruchman, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Versant Health and contributor to the white paper “In its early stages, when treatment has the greatest likelihood of success, patients are typically asymptomatic. Thus, a regular eye exam is a critical component of any health and wellness program to reduce blindness from this disease.”

Versant Health supports the overall health of its diabetic members in several ways, striving to reduce the risk for and/or severity of diabetic eye disease, including Diabetic Outreach, medical management, and detailed provider portal questionnaires. To learn more, download the health and financial costs of diabetic retinopathy white paper from the Versant Health website.