Living with diabetes requires careful management of various aspects of your health, and one crucial area that often gets overlooked is eye health. Regular diabetic eye exams are essential for detecting and preventing serious eye conditions that can lead to vision loss.
Diabetic retinopathy and other diseases
Diabetes, whether type 1 or type 2, can lead to several eye complications over time. High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This condition, known as diabetic retinopathy, is a leading cause of blindness in adults.
“Blindness aside, problems from diabetes can cause blurred or distorted vision, trouble with color vision and blind spots,” said Dr. Scott Bauer, Marshfield Clinic optometrist. “Additionally, people with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing other eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts.”
The prevalence of diabetic eye disease is significant:
- Diabetic retinopathy: In 2021, an estimated 9.6 million people in the United States were living with diabetic retinopathy. Of these, 1.84 million had vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy.
- Age factor: Among people with diabetes, the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was lowest among those younger than 25 years (13.0%) and highest among those aged 65-79 years (28.4%).
What to expect during a diabetic eye exam
Many diabetic eye conditions do not show symptoms until they advance and are harder to treat. That’s why people living with diabetes should have a diabetic eye exam at least once a year.
“Diabetic eye exams are similar to routine, comprehensive eye exams,” said Dr. Bauer. “Patients can expect to have their eye pressure measured, vision assessed and their eyes will be dilated. In some cases, retinal photographs and other imaging instruments can assess for diabetic retinopathy or other diabetic pathology.”
If signs of retinopathy are found during an exam, more frequent visits are typically recommended. Furthermore, patients should reach out to their eye doctor if they notice any changes in their eyesight. That may include blurry vision, floaters, or if they feel their vision has changed color.
An added bonus
Not only are diabetic eye exams a non-invasive, vital piece to managing diabetes, they can also be a checkup of your overall health.
“During dilated eye exams, doctors can get a real-time look at a person’s blood vessel health,” said Dr. Bauer. “The blood vessels in the retina have the same structure, function and potential problems as blood vessels throughout the body. By looking in the back of an eye, we can get a good gauge on vascular system health throughout the entire body.”
Eye exams are a critical component of diabetes management. There are many treatments for diabetic eye conditions, but the best one is prevention.
“Monitoring blood sugar levels, proper diet and exercise, taking prescribed medications and meeting with your primary care provider or endocrinologist regularly are all essential when treating diabetes.”
For eye care, visit Marshfield Clinic Health System.
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