Diabetics are at a significantly increased risk for developing a wide range eye problems, including the potential for vision loss.

Diabetic Eye Disease

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye conditions that can affect people with diabetes or pre-diabetes, as well as individuals with prolonged high blood sugar levels. These conditions all have the potential to cause severe and permanent vision loss or blindness. Diabetic eye disease includes the following conditions:

• Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the blood vessels in the retina and is often a sign of damage to other organs
• Cataracts are the clouding of the lens of the eye, which often develops earlier in diabetics
• Glaucoma is an increase in fluid pressure inside the eye, leading to optic nerve damage. Vision loss is twice as likely to develop in a diabetic than in someone without diabetes

Prevention

Because diabetic eye disease often presents no warning signs, finding and treating it is challenging. If you have diabetes, make sure you have a dilated eye exam to allow your doctor to see the inside of your eyes and check for signs of disease at least once a year.

Keeping your diabetes under control is the best way to control the development or progression of diabetic eye disease. Watch your diet, exercise, monitor your blood sugar levels and take your diabetes medications. If you have already been diagnosed and treated for diabetic eye disease and are still experiencing vision problems, be sure to follow up with your doctor as soon as possible. If you are at high risk for diabetes and begin experiencing changes in your vision, especially blurred vision, having an eye exam and being tested for diabetes is extremely important. Read Full Article 

Retirement is something you’re told to prepare for as soon as you enter the workforce. However, this is not possible for many Americans and the majority feel like they have not saved enough.

Nearly 75 percent of Americans are worried about economic insecurity affecting their retirement, according to a recent report from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS).

In the same report, 88 percent of Americans said they believe there is a “retirement crisis” in this country.

Planning for Retirement

HR is in a position to help educate employees on their retirement. Employees should turn to HR… Read More

Arsenic, an element from the Earth’s crust that is naturally found in air and water, may not only cause cancer, but can also negatively affect a child’s development and cause problems into adulthood. Inorganic arsenic is the type of arsenic that is associated with adverse health effects and the type of arsenic that is found in common foods and drinks, like rice and apple juice.

Rice has been found to absorb the highest amounts of inorganic arsenic when compared to other commonly eaten foods. Last April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a limit on the amount of inorganic arsenic to be allowed in infant rice cereal. The FDA, however, has not imposed action limits on other rice items.

Instead, the FDA and Consumer Reports recommend that adults and children eat a well-balanced diet for good nutrition and avoid consuming an excess of rice. Read Full Article

The bills that make up the AHCA were primarily focused on what changes would be made to existing ACA rules. Here are some items that would not change under the proposal.

Pre-existing Conditions

The ACA mandate prohibiting insurers from denying or charging more for coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions would be preserved.

Coverage for Adult Children

The AHCA would preserve the ACA’s rule allowing young adult dependents to remain on their parents’ plans until they are 26.

Cost-sharing Limits

Out-of-pocket maximum limits imposed on non-grandfathered plans by the ACA would continue to apply. These limits are currently $7,150 for single and $14,300 for family coverage. Read Full Article