Diabetes is one of the most common diseases worldwide after cancer. Diabetes has many different forms and levels of extremity. At an early stage it can be easily controlled while at type 2 and further stages it can be deadly. One of the common symptoms of diabetes is blindness. However, it has yet to be discovered what is the relation between diabetes and the eyes.
A recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Surrey and the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute at Indiana University School of Medicine in the USA has found a subtle connection between the disease and the symptom.
The study found a compound in plants that can be used to cure some forms of blindness; especially blindness obtained from diabetes called proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The blindness is caused from the formation of a new blood vessel in the eye which affects the vision process
The plant contained compounds that were able to suppress the growth of the blood vessels in the eyes thus decreasing chances of being blind. The Head of Department of Chemistry at the University of Surrey, Professor Dulcie Mulholland was connected with the discovery found. He commented on the results obtained saying, “It goes without saying that losing your eyesight is a devastating experience. We believe that our results hint at possible future treatments for many degenerative eye conditions and it appears that nature still has many secrets to reveal.”