From getting a black eye on the playground to accidental mascara mishaps, our eyes undergo numerous trials throughout life. Everyone’s eyes are precious and we should do our best to protect them. This is especially true for those with diabetes.
Diabetic eye care requires a little more attention than normal. Unfortunately, diabetes comes with a handful of additional health risks, including diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. Normal retinopathy occurs when the retina (image right) receives insufficient amounts of blood and oxygen flow. High blood sugar levels found in diabetics can permanently damage retinal veins, causing a loss of blood flow to the retina. This is how diabetic retinopathy develops. As the disease progresses, diabetic retinopathy can cause many problems, including minor blood and plasma leakage into the retina and complete blindness. Due to such risk, folks with diabetes should visit their eye care specialist regularly to ensure retinal function remains normal. As with many other ocular and retinal diseases, diabetic retinopathy can develop silently. Many do not know they have the disease until having undergone a thorough eye exam. To maximize diabetic eye care education, here are a few other facts about diabetic retinopathy:
- Typically, it affects both eyes
- Is a major cause of blindness in adult Americans
- Occurs in roughly 40% of Type I diabetics and 20% of Type II diabetics
- The longer someone has diabetes, the higher the risk for the disease
If you or someone you love is a diabetic, ensure blood sugar levels are kept under close watch and regulated as much as possible. This significantly reduces the risk for developing the disease. In addition, it is essential for these individuals to see their diabetic eye care specialist very regularly. With advanced technology such as the VISUCAM (image left), an eye care doctor can capture superior photos of your retinas. Such advancements help specialists maximize care for your eyes via the ability to better diagnose and monitor early diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and other ocular diseases.
