Diabetes, related eye conditions have worsened, CDC data indicate.

The Baltimore Sun (12/15, Owens) reported that diabetes "has dramatically worsened for Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)." The CDC released data this year "which showed that about 24 million Americans -- or about eight percent of the population -- have the disease, an increase of more than three million in just two years." Additionally, "another 57 million people are estimated to have blood sugar abnormalities called pre-diabetes, which puts them at increased risk for developing the condition, experts say." And, "a new study from the CDC projects that the number of adults 40 and older with diabetic retinopathy...will reach 16 million in 2050, up from 5.5 million in 2005." Patients with diabetes "are also more prone to developing cataracts and glaucoma, the study notes." Although "experts stress that diabetes is a manageable condition, it...is the seventh-leading cause of death in the country."