Biomed Radio - Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis

Diabetes-related vision loss most often is blamed on blood vessel damage in and around the retina, but new research indicates that much of that vision loss may result from nerve cell injury and probably begins long before any blood vessels are damaged. The findings — from scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis — may lead to new approaches to treating diabetes-related vision loss, called diabetic retinopathy, since many current treatments are aimed at damaged blood vessels. MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIABETES ALSO EVENTUALLY SUFFER DIABETES-RELATED VISION LOSS FROM DIABETIC RETINOPATHY. IT’S ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF VISION LOSS IN WORKING-AGE PEOPLE AND OFTEN IS BLAMED ON BLOOD VESSEL DAMAGE IN AND AROUND THE RETINA, BUT NEW RESEARCH FROM WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN ST. LOUIS SUGGESTS THE LOSS OF VISION MAY BEGIN LONG BEFORE ANY BLOOD VESSELS ARE DAMAGED. JIM DRYDEN HAS THE STORY… THE RESEARCHERS CREATED A MOUSE MODEL OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY, THE FIRST SUCH M