Protecting Your Vision, One Exam at a Time

Annual Diabetic (DM) Retinal Eye Exams are now available at both the Bellaire and East Jordan Family Health Centers and can be scheduled with your regular provider visit.

For people with diabetes, this exam is an essential part of managing your health. High blood glucose levels can damage the tiny blood vessels in your eyes, leading to vision problems or even blindness if left untreated. The sooner these changes are detected, the sooner you and your care team can act to protect your vision.

Our RetinaVue 700 Imager provides high-quality retinal images in less than 30 minutes—no eye drops or special preparation needed. The camera is designed to capture detailed images without chemical dilation for most patients, offering a comfortable, convenient way to screen for diabetic eye disease. If the images are not clear enough due to cataracts or very small pupils, your provider may refer you to an eye specialist for a traditional dilated exam.

Images are reviewed by a board-certified ophthalmologist, and results are shared directly with your provider for a complete picture of your eye health.

Benefits:

• Detects early signs of diabetic eye disease
• Comfortable, quick, and non-invasive
• No chemical dilation usually needed
• Available at both Bellaire and East Jordan locations
• Can be scheduled with your annual or diabetes exam

Please note: Retinal imaging at our health centers is available only for patients with diabetes. If you are not diabetic but would like to schedule a routine eye exam, we encourage you to contact your local optometrist or ophthalmologist for ongoing vision care.

Protect your eyesight, schedule your annual Diabetic (DM) Retinal Eye Exam today!

Change the Outcome: 1 in 3 American adults has prediabetes. But in a world where much feels out of our control, prediabetes can be reversed.

Prediabetes affects 96 million Americans, but it can be reversed. Learning your risk is the first step to a healthier future. While many people know that type 2 diabetes is a serious health concern, far fewer people know about prediabetes. Prediabetes is a serious but reversible condition that affects more than 1 in 3 American adults. Without healthy lifestyle changes, prediabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes.

People with prediabetes have higher than normal blood glucose (sugar) levels but not high enough yet to be considered type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. More than 80 percent of people with prediabetes don’t even know they have
it.

With the right steps, prediabetes can be reversed, and you can change the outcome. The key is to find out whether you’re at risk. That’s why the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have partnered with the Ad Council since 2016 to raise awareness
of prediabetes and help people take steps to prevent or delay developing type 2 diabetes.

Most recently, the campaign released public service announcements (PSAs) under the theme of “Change the Outcome.” The ads remind viewers that while many things in life can’t be reversed, prediabetes doesn’t have to be one of them. Through healthy lifestyle changes like eating better, losing weight, and getting at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, a person can prevent or delay developing type 2 diabetes.

Not sure if you’re at risk for prediabetes? It only takes a minute to find out! Know where you stand by visiting DoIHavePrediabetes.org — PodriaTenerPrediabetes.org in Spanish—and taking a short online test to learn your risk and how to take action for a healthier you today. Why wait?

From Health Department of Northwest Michigan (11/08/22)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than one in three—have prediabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don’t know they have it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a time when communities across the country team up to bring attention to diabetes. This year’s focus is on managing diabetes by building your healthcare team. Have you been tested to find out if you’re prediabetic and diabetic?

“Diabetes is a top 10 leading cause of death in Michigan, as well as in the United States,” said Dr. Joshua Meyerson, Medical Director. “Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.”

According to the CDC, diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin, or it can’t use that insulin as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, blood sugar builds up in your bloodstream. Over time that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.

In addition to prediabetes, the CDC estimates 37.3 million adults and children in the U.S. have diabetes. In Michigan, an estimated 870,000 adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and over 3 million adults across the state likely have prediabetes.

Take the Initiative

Symptoms for diabetes include urinating a lot, often in the night, being very thirsty or hungry, losing weight without trying, and having blurry vision, dry skin, and numbing or tingling in your hands and feet. Rather than wonder, a first step into learning more is to take this online quiz.

If you are someone diagnosed with diabetes, here are tips to help you manage the disease and build your healthcare team:

• Don’t wait to begin managing your diabetes
• Start with small changes to create healthy habits
• Ask healthcare workers, friends, and family to be part of your diabetes healthcare team
• Make physical activity and healthy eating part of your daily routine

To get better equipped to prevent, live with Diabetes, and manage your blood sugar levels, visit the Michigan Diabetes Prevention and Control Program for recommendations.

To have your blood sugar level checked, schedule an appointment at a HDNW clinic, 800-432-4121, or with your family physician.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

In a partnership between area Lions Clubs and their District, East Jordan Family Health Center received a donation of $1,200 towards continuous glucose monitors for diabetic patients in need of financial assistance. Partnering together in this donation are the East Jordan and Central Lake Lions Clubs and Lions District 11 E-2. “Thank you to all the Lions who worked together to make this happen; it will provide a significant benefit to people dealing with diabetes in both of our communities this year,” states Di LaBeau of Central Lake Lions and District 11 E-2 Diabetes Chair coordinating the donation.

As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), the East Jordan Family Health Center strives to offer comprehensive care across chronic disease states including diabetes.  The Bellaire and East Jordan Family Health Centers staff two Clinical Pharmacists that work in partnership with our providers to facilitate best medication usage, assist with barriers to care, and provide chronic condition management services. In 2018, the health center’s Clinical Pharmacists launched an initiative to use Continuous Glucose Monitoring to assist in care for patients with diabetes. With this data, the healthcare team is able to evaluate the effectiveness of current medication therapy, provide guidance on medication therapy going forward, and help assess the patient’s nonpharmacologic factors such as their diet and exercise.  

The placement and analysis of a continuous glucose monitor is a covered service for many patients through their insurance; however, the health center estimates about 20 out of 100 of our patients will lack insurance and the cost of the monitor is a barrier to their care.  In this case, the health center offers a Sliding Fee Discount Program to assist patients with payments. The joint donation by the Central Lake, East Jordan and District Lions will provide monitors to patients with need.

“This is an opportunity to continue to service our diabetic patients with technology normally not afforded to them. Providing quality care while eliminating barriers is essential for our community health center and has an impact on our patients’ lives,” states Rachel Krino, Marketing Director for East Jordan Family Health Center.