The term “diabetic eye disease” encompasses a number of diseases and conditions that can cause blindness if left untreated. These include diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.Diabetic Retinopathy occurs when the small blood vessels in the eye change by swelling, leaking fluid or closing off completely, blocking blood flow from reaching the retina. A cataract occurs when the eye’s lens becomes cloudy, causing vision to become blurry, cloudy or dim. While this happens in many people as they age, those with diabetes are more likely to develop cataracts than their peers without diabetes. Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve and peripheral vision. The damage to the optic nerve is usually caused by elevated pressure in the eye. Glaucoma can be treated with medication such as prescription eye drops or with surgery, but will result in blindness if left untreated.
The Academy recommends that those with those with type 2 diabetes should get a dilated eye exam at the time of diagnosis and every year following. Those with type 1 diabetes should start receiving annual eye exams five years after their initial diagnosis.
Special to the NNPA from the St. Louis American
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