This week, Episode 74 of 'not ARTIFICIALLY Sweetened', THE podcast packed with unfiltered reflections on all thing’s diabetes, looks at diabetes and the eye!

This Episode is brought to you in support of diabetes awareness & care by the CDE Online Pharmacy (⁠https://cdeonline.co.za/⁠), the online store of choice for people living with diabetes. #AnytimeCT3CGM #MiWell

If you’re touched by diabetes in any way, whether personally or professionally, you're in the right place! Join us on this social learning journey as we grow together in understanding, insight, & self-awareness to change lives for the better. Our deliberations are always honest, challenging & thought provoking. Nothing is off the table as we meet real people, discuss their real issues and stories, & together discover real answers to many vexing practical issues in diabetes & its care.

Stan starts the session by lamenting the ‘flogging’ of GLP-1 treatments for type 2 diabetes with inappropriate expectations that they can do everything needed – don’t forget insulin as an option!

The right person in front of the right practitioner at the right time

This week we focus on diabetes and the eye, and specifically on diabetes related retinopathy. Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr Thekiso Selele joins us to unpack this. He shares

• His desire to help others which led to his training journey as a doctor
• His specialisation as an ophthalmologist to address reversible causes of potential vision loss
• Insights into his community work
• Insights into the development of diabetes related changes in the retina
• The importance of regular eye screening for mostly asymptomatic potential complications and the range of possible findings
• That unless advised otherwise, fundoscopy screening should, at a minimum, be done once a year
• Stages and grading of diabetic retinopathy and its generally poor correlation with symptoms
• The role of the fovea and macular oedema in the development of symptoms
• Potential treatments for sight-threatening eye disease
• The role of AI-guided fundoscopy interpretation beyond ophthalmology into the detection of signs of systemic disease and expanded access to non-invasive health screening.

Advocacy message

Nothando Maseko shares her perspective on the Advocacy Course presented by SA Diabetes Advocacy #AdvocacyMatters

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We want to hear from you!

Email your questions, suggestions, comments or contributions for future episodes to @ ⁠Podcast@CDEDiabetes.co.za⁠

For health professionals working in diabetes

The 6-Module, 23 CPD point CDE Academy Very Low-Calorie Diet Course for Healthcare Professionals can help you assist your clients with excess adiposity & type 2 diabetes to improve their cardiometabolic risk profile, reduce their chronic medication burden, doses & costs & possibly achieve remission of their diabetes. More information & registration @ ⁠https://academy.cdeonline.co.za/vlcd-course/⁠

Learna/University of South Wales offer a one-year, online, part-time, distance learning Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes Care. Sign up for a second year to earn an MSc in Diabetes. Gain a competitive edge & enhance your client care! Register @ ⁠https://my.learna.ac.uk/l/diabetes-ambassador-cde