If you are one of more than 25 million Americans with diabetes, you may already know the importance of watching your diet and keeping track of your blood sugar. But did you know it’s also important to have regular eye exams?
Diabetes can cause several eye diseases including glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. In order to help educate those with diabetes about the important steps they need to take to care for their eyes, November has been named Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month.
Blindness Caused by Diabetes is Preventable
Diabetes is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the United States among adults between age 20 to 74 and is the fifth most common cause of preventable blindness globally. Among the 30 million Americans with diabetes, about one-third have diabetic retinopathy, the potentially blinding complication of diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy affects about 28.5 percent of Americans with diabetes age 40 and older. The condition gradually weakens small blood vessels in and around the retina, the light-sensing layer of tissue in the back of the eye. If the disease progresses, these vessels may rupture and leak blood into the eye; they can also spread and grow on the surface of the retina causing scarring.
Early Detection is Key to Preventing Diabetic Eye Disease
People typically don’t notice changes in their vision in the disease’s early stages. But the disease can be detected early, through a comprehensive dilated eye exam. In this procedure, an eye professional will put drops in the eye to dilate (widen) the pupil, which allows a closer look at the retina. As it progresses, diabetic retinopathy usually causes vision loss that in many cases cannot be reversed.
The good news is that with early detection, timely treatment and follow-up, the risk of severe vision loss from diabetic retinopathy can be reduced by 95%. Some effective treatment options include laser surgery and injections of anti-VEGF drugs. These drugs block the actions of a protein that can cause abnormal blood vessels to grow and leak fluid.
Important Health Tips for Those with Diabetes
When your diabetes is well controlled, your risk of diabetic eye disease is reduced and your overall health is improved. Follow the recommendations of your doctors and these tips to keep your diabetes controlled and to protect your eyes from vision loss.
- Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.
- Control your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Take your medications as prescribed by your doctor.
- Talk to your eye doctor about diabetic retinopathy and other diabetic eye diseases.
Make an Appointment Today to Prevent Diabetic Eye Disease
Visit your eye doctor regularly and make an appointment with Eye Care of Delaware to learn more about preventing diabetic eye disease. Call us at (302) 454-8800 or contact us online.
