Eye Health: What Everyone with Diabetes Should Know

If you are diagnosed with diabetes, you may be more susceptible to eye problems. Thankfully, there are steps patients can take to reduce and avoid these health issues.

The American Diabetes Association urges anyone with diabetes to keep their blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible.

The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial showed that taking this important step can slow the onset and progression of retinopathy – the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness. Diabetic retinopathy causes the blood vessels in the eye to swell and leak fluid, according to the ADA.

Other steps to promote good eye health include controlling high blood pressure, quitting smoking and making sure to have your eyes examined by an optometrist or ophthalmologist to check for retinopathy.

Diabetics should have an annual dilated eye exam if they have had the disease for at least five years and are between the ages of 10 and 29 years old. Those who are more than 30 years old should have this exam annually regardless of when they were diagnosed with diabetes.

Source: American Diabetes Association

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