Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is a critical part of care for all people with diabetes and those known to be at risk for developing the disease. The overall objectives included in DSME are to support informed decision-making, self-care behaviours, problem solving, and active collaboration with the health care team. In addition, it is important to improve clinical outcomes, general health status, and maintain quality of life. At present, the majority of people with diabetes and pre-diabetes have no access to structured DSME. At the same time, there is robust evidence that DSME improves glycaemic control, and thus it is likely that it can delay the development or progression of DR.
With education, support and understanding we can help to ensure that our patients are in control of the diabetes and know how to prevent complications. Nobody wants to go blind and this approach can go a long way to preventing sight loss due to diabetes.
Your take
How can the mantra ‘nothing about me, without me’ be applied in diabetes eye care?
Additional resources
Empowering patients with diabetic retinopathy
Read on frequently asked questions on diabetic retinopathy here
© Nyawira Mwangi
Control of Diabetic Retinopathy 