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You may have heard that diabetes causes eye problems and may lead to blindness. People with diabetes do have a higher risk of blindness than people without diabetes. But most people who have diabetes have nothing more than minor eye disorders. Are you at Risk for Retinopathy?

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The leading cause of blindness in working age Americans is caused from Diabetes
  • Diabetics are at risk of vision loss and other health problems
  • Nearly 1/3 of all Diabetics do not know they even have the disease
  • Diabetic Retinopathy is the most common eye issue affecting more than 3.5 million Americans over the age of 18
  • You should schedule regular eye exams including dilation annually.
  • An early diagnosis of diabetes can help reduce your risk of developing eye disease related to diabetes.

Am I at Risk for Retinopathy?

Several factors influence whether you get retinopathy:

  • blood sugar control
  • blood pressure levels
  • how long you have had diabetes
  • genes

The longer you’ve had diabetes, the more likely you are to have retinopathy. Almost everyone with type 1 diabetes will eventually have nonproliferative retinopathy. And most people with type 2 diabetes will also get it. But the retinopathy that destroys vision, proliferative retinopathy, is far less common.

People who keep their blood sugar levels closer to normal are less likely to have retinopathy or to have milder forms.

Your retina can be badly damaged before you notice any change in vision. Most people with nonproliferative retinopathy have no symptoms. Even with proliferative retinopathy, the more dangerous form, people sometimes have no symptoms until it is too late to treat them. For this reason, you should have your eyes examined regularly by an eye care professional.

You may have heard that diabetes causes eye problems and may lead to blindness. People with diabetes do have a higher risk of blindness than people without diabetes. But most people who have diabetes have nothing more than minor eye disorders.

With regular checkups, you can keep minor problems minor. And if you do develop a major problem, there are treatments that often work well if you begin them right away. Please visit your health professional regularly.

 


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Source: nei.nih.gov

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay