An Ouchless Way to Check Blood Sugars?

It’s important for diabetics to keep their blood sugars under control to prevent the numerous complications that are so common with this disease. Diabetes can adversely affect almost every organ in the body; and strict blood sugar control can help to offset the damage. One way to get better control of blood sugars is to check levels more frequently. Unfortunately, some diabetics hesitate to check their blood sugar levels at home due to the pain involved.

Traditionally, checking blood sugar levels has involved pricking the finger with a lancet, placing a drop of blood on a test strip, and using a glucose meter to get a final reading. The good news is this painful method of getting a blood sugar reading could be replaced in the future with a new method for measuring blood glucose levels – using an innovative technology that painlessly scans the eye.

A new study presented at the Biomedical Engineering Society’s 2009 meeting showed that using a special scanner to scan the eye could painlessly and accurately measure blood sugar levels without the pain and discomfort of a needle stick. Although this technology has been studied only in rabbits, researchers believe it will work well in humans also – making the task of measure blood glucose levels a little less unpleasant for those with diabetes. The discomfort is magnified by the fact that some diabetics check blood sugar levels as often as five times a day. This technology would be a better alternative for those who are needle phobic.

Checking blood sugar levels several times a day can provide valuable information on how factors such as food, medications, and stress affect blood sugar levels. By checking blood sugar levels regularly, adjustments can be made in food intake and activity levels to get better blood sugar control. Studies have shown that tighter control of blood sugars can reduce the risk of complications such as heart disease, diabetic kidney disease, diabetic eye disease, and diabetic neuropathy. This new technology could make it easier to motivate diabetics to check their blood sugars several times a day.

Although this new technology for checking blood sugars isn’t available yet, it will be undergoing further animal testing and research followed by human testing before being presented to the FDA for approval. Hopefully, this new, pain-free technology for checking glucose levels will be available in the near future; and diabetics everywhere can breathe a sign of relief.