Why Regular Eye Exams Are Essential for Diabetic Patients

It is estimated that more than 30 million people living in the United States have diabetes and are at an increased risk for vision loss and blindness. Diabetic eye diseases are a group of eye problems that include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma.

Diabetic retinopathy is a diabetic eye disease that occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the small blood vessels in the retina, causing them to leak fluid. There are no obvious early warning signs and changes in vision happen so gradually that most people don’t realize something is wrong until the problem is very serious. Dr. Katherine Duncan, a GBMC Ophthalmologist, stresses that it is essential to have regular eye checks with an optometrist or ophthalmologist, so they can detect those subtle, early symptoms.