Private MD News

New research may help make blood sugar testing easier

Category: Diabetes

For individuals who have received positive HbA1c tests indicating they have diabetes, checking their blood sugar on a regular basis may be a painful, uncomfortable experience. However, a team of researchers may have identified an easier way to measure glucose levels.

Investigators reported in the journal Analytical Chemistry that it is possible to measure blood sugar levels in tears. They developed a method that collects small amounts of fluid from the eyes. The findings of their investigation showed that this can serve to measure glucose equally as well as pricking the fingers and testing blood directly.

"Thus, it may be possible to measure tear glucose levels multiple times per day to monitor blood glucose changes without the potential pain from the repeated invasive blood drawing method," the researchers said.

Monitoring blood sugar throughout the day is an important part of controlling diabetes. However, many people avoid measuring their glucose as often as they should because of the pain associated with pricking the fingers to draw blood. A simpler testing method may lead to better disease management.