Uploaded and shared in Youtube by: insidermedicine — Carefully controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels but not blood pressure can help preserve vision among individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Here is some information about diabetic retinopathy: • It is a condition in which blood vessels in the retina of the eye are damaged due to diabetes • It is a leading cause of blindness in North America • It is a progressive disease in which vision loss becomes more and more pronounced Researchers representing the ACCORD study group from the National Institutes of Health randomly assigned over 10,000 individuals with type 2 diabetes who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease to receive regular care with respect to their blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure or to have one of these controlled very closely, more closely than would normally be considered essential. Among nearly 3,000 participants who were followed up for four years, those with intensively controlled blood sugar levels were 33% less likely to see a progression of diabetic retinopathy than those whose blood sugars were controlled in a standard fashion. Similarly, those with intensively controlled cholesterol had a 40% reduced risk for progression of their diabetic retinopathy, compared with those who received standard cholesterol control. Intensive control of blood pressure did not appear to have an effect, however. Today's research demonstrates how important it is to control blood sugar levels and cholesterol in order to preserve vision among individuals with type 2 diabetes