The risks of diabetic eye disease and eye problems fromdiabetes can be reduced with regular eye exams. The vision loss from diabetic
retinopathy can be prevented if it's caught early and treated in time. More than one third of those diagnosed with
diabetes do not adhere to vision care guidelines recommending a dilated eye
exam every year. As part of Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month we are
urging people with diabetes to have a dilated eye exam every year.
About Diabetes &
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes affects 25.8 million people in the United States
and is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of
age. There are almost 8 million people ages 40 and older that have diabetic
retinopathy-a sharply increasing number! It is terribly disturbing to see the
dramatic spike in diabetic retinopathy cases, a consequence of the diabetes
epidemic that this country is experiencing-with no end in sight! The longer a
person has diabetes, the greater his or her risk for developing diabetic
retinopathy. However, diabetic retinopathy does not only affect people who have
had diabetes for many years, it can also appear within the first year or two
after the onset of the disease.
Preventing Vision Loss from
Diabetes & Diabetic Retinopathy
In addition to having regular eye examinations and
testing at the direction of your eye doctor, patients can help to reduce the
risk of developing diabetic eye disease by not smoking, controlling their
cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure, as well as eating a heart-healthy
diet and exercising.
If you or
someone you know has diabetes or even elevated blood sugar levels they should
work to prevent diabetic eye disease and problems with regular eye exams. Feel free
to call Center for Sight
at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.
Center forSight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts 02720
for patients from
Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
