The unseen danger of Diabetes

November is American Diabetes Month and Vision Source optometrist Dr. Mark Lee urges patients with diabetes to schedule an annual comprehensive eye exam.  

“Often there are no symptoms or pain in the early stages of the disease, which makes it important that all diabetics are monitored for diabetic retinopathy,” explains Lee. “Through an eye exam, we can detect the disease and can take action in the early stages. If left untreated, proliferative retinopathy can cause severe vision loss and even blindness. Also, the earlier you receive treatment, the more likely treatment will be effective.”  

Symptoms of retinopathy include seeing floaters in one’s field of vision, blurred vision, dark spots and difficulty seeing at night. Patients experiencing any of these symptoms are strongly advised to schedule an appointment with their optometrist immediately. Diabetics can do their part to prevent or slow the development of diabetic retinopathy by taking medication prescribed by their doctors and controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels, blood pressure while maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. 

“Small leaks in the retina can happen to any person with diabetes, even someone doing a great job of managing sugar levels. These leaks can be in areas of the retina that don’t cause any vision symptoms whatsoever,” says Lee. “That’s why it’s important to have regular, dilated eye examinations. Leaky vessels, if serious enough, can be treated to prevent major vision loss.” 

By 2050, one in three adults in the United States could have the disease; currently, more than 25 percent of people over the age of 40 with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy1.