Damon Wayans Sr. opens up about type 2 diabetes diagnosis and the vision risks he never saw coming
TheGrio...
“I would say, if you don’t do it for you, do it for the people who love you, because that’s who you’re hurting,” Wayans said in his advice to Black and Latino men with diabetes who may be delaying their annual eye exams.
During a recent trip to his hometown of New York City, Damon Wayans Sr. was craving a slice of pizza, and it’s customary never to leave the tri-state area without indulging in the city’s iconic food staple. But Wayans, who has been living with Type 2 diabetes since 2008, couldn’t bring himself to go inside.
“I stood outside of the pizza parlor for about 10 minutes with a needle in my pocket, ready, and I was able to tell myself, ‘No, it’s not worth it,’ and I walked away. But I didn’t sleep last night,” Wayans jokingly told TheGrio.
Wayans, 64, opened up about his family history and how diabetes runs on both sides of his family. However, he never thought that it could happen to him. He was drinking bottles of wine a night, eating freely and not sleeping enough. The diagnosis helped him make important, long-term changes in his life.
“When it hit, it was just like, ‘Oh, my God, you too.’ And I’ve seen people who had it who really didn’t take care of it. And so what it gave me was purpose, which is, I’m going to control this by changing my diet, by getting sleep,” Wayans said, noting that he also works out daily and has one cheat meal a month.
He was determined to break old habits and adopt a healthier lifestyle after his diagnosis at 47. However, he was unaware that individuals with the disease could experience vision problems. According to the American Diabetes Association, those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at greater risk for eye complications and peripheral neuropathy.
Although Wayans was initially unaware of the vision risks associated with diabetes, this information prompted him to be more proactive in understanding the disease and protecting his eyesight. It was only after several recent incidents that Wayans realized he might have vision problems.
“Lately, I’ve been having some serious depth perception issues where I’m missing steps—like walking up steps. I tripped up the steps. I bumped into a door, and I saw the door. It was like, I’m walking out of a store, but my eyes said, ‘You got a couple more steps,’ and then bam, I hit the door, and I was just like, ‘Oh my God, what’s wrong?’” Wayans said.
Depth perception is an integral part of an individual’s vision. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it’s a sensory ability that allows a person “to see objects in three dimensions, including their size and how far away they are from you.” The eyes and brain are working together to process information, estimate their location, and create the images you see.
For Wayans, the depth perception issues hit close to home. It was around that time he began conversations with Genentech, a biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for serious diseases, which introduced him to diabetic macular edema, commonly known as DME — a complication of diabetes that can cause severe and irreversible vision loss. Wayans said the thought of vision loss was frightening.
“I can’t imagine life without vision. And even though I wear glasses, it’s not that bad. When I take my glasses off, I can see — it’s a little fuzzy. But it’s not like I can imagine complete darkness,” Wayans said, emphasizing the importance of annual eye exams.
Coming from a legendary family like the Wayans, comedy is their love language. Wayans remembered the times when his family didn’t invite him to children’s parties with birthday cake and barbecue sauce. He showed up anyway, giving himself a needle in front of everyone and saying, “You’re next.” For him, it’s about demonstrating how humor can both disarm a scary situation and inform his loved ones about it.
“But it’s like having fun with it, you know? And then they see me now, and so I’m sure they’re starting to have symptoms, too. And they want to talk. ‘D, what do you—just put that monitor you got there. What does it tell you?’ And they’re asking questions now, which is great,” Wayans said.
Wayans said he’s not laughing at the disease, but at what people do when they are diagnosed with diabetes or before they are diagnosed with it. Comedy allows people to relax and feel more at ease when discussing difficult topics.
“I’ve talked about my divorce. I’ve talked about my brother dying. I’ve talked about all these different things on stage, and not that it, you know, changed anything, but it changed my perspective because people are laughing,” Wayans explained.
Wayans had already been talking about his diabetes journey in past interviews. Genentech and its partner, diaTribe, a foundation that supports people with diabetes in living happier, healthier lives, approached him for a partnership because of his use of humor regarding his diabetes.
The “All Eyes on DME” campaign highlights diabetic macular edema. It informs individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes about the retinal disorder, its impact on vision loss, and ways to manage or prevent it.
“The more you know, the more you can do it and control it, and you put yourself in a position to win, or at least have a chance at fighting,” Wayans said.
By 2030, 54.9 million Americans are estimated to have diabetes. People of color are 2-3x more likely to develop serious vision complications, and 60% of people with diabetes skip their annual eye exams. However, 1 in 14 people with diabetes will develop DME, according to the campaign’s website.
Wayans recalled being at a panel in New York City where someone shared their experience of suddenly losing their vision. His sharing the story shows how quickly it could happen to anyone. Black adults are at a higher risk of diabetes with an even higher mortality rate. In 2022, 52.8% of Black men died with the disease. That same year, 34.7% of Latino men also died from diabetes complications, according to the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.
Wayans shared a vital message for men of these racial groups who may have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are delaying their annual eye exams.
“I would say, if you don’t do it for you, do it for the people who love you, because that’s who you’re hurting. Yeah, you’re tough. You can get through this with some glasses from the drugstore. But if you try to wrap your brain around not being able to see the people you love—and knowing that you could have prevented this—find out. It’s good to know,” Wayans said.