[Richard157]

"Many long-term survivors with diabetes show little or no progression of retinopathy after a certain point, and this resistance apparently has nothing to do with glycemic control, a researcher said here.

A new study of 'Medalists' ? a cohort of diabetics who have lived for 50 years or more with the disease, assembled by the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston ? indicated that about half did not have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and those individuals almost never showed any worsening of eye disease after the first 17 years."

Medical News: AAO: Ocular, Glycemic Surprises Found in Diabetic 'Medalists' - in Meeting Coverage, AAO from MedPage Today

 

[Adjitater]

I had a Dr. tell me once that when you go by the 21 year mark and you have not had any complications that your chances of ever getting any are greatly reduced. I have no idea what he based that on but now at 39 years and still nothing out of the normal.

 

[Richard157]

There have been a few research studies done that seem to lead to that conclusion. I have seen many diabetics post that their doctors tell them that after 20 years with no complications, they are not likely to have any provided they continue to have good control.

 

[Adjitater]

I am just curious if the studies were done on just type 1 diabetics or if there was a mixture. I am just wondering if any one type is more prone to complications.

 

[Richard157]

Good question, I have heard about the research but only from other diabetics. The diabetics I have seen post the "20 year rule" have all been T1D's. There have been many of them though. I saw a couple today on tudiabetes.com.