(ARA) - As you reflect on the importance of healthy eyes and vision, think about how long it's been since you had a comprehensive eye examination. Sometimes early signs of diabetes are detected during a thorough eye examination. Regular examinations are an essential part of staying healthy and detecting eye disease early.
The American Optometric Association wants to remind you of the serious effects diabetes can have on the eyes. This can include changes in nearsightedness and farsightedness, as well as premature presbyopia (the inability to focus on close objects with age). It can also result in cataracts, glaucoma, strabismus (a lack of eye alignment) and decreased corneal sensitivity.
Visual symptoms of diabetes include fluctuating or blurring of vision, occasional double vision, night vision problems and flashes and floaters within the eyes. The most serious eye problem associated with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when there is a weakening or swelling of the tiny blood vessels in the retina of your eye, resulting in blood leakage, the growth of new blood vessels and other changes. If diabetic retinopathy is left untreated, blindness can result.
In most cases, vision loss from diabetes can be prevented. Your eye care professional can diagnose potential vision-threatening changes in your eyes and take steps to treat the problem to prevent blindness. However, once damage has occurred, the effects are usually permanent. For those who have diabetes, it is important to manage the disease as much as possible to minimize the risk of developing retinopathy. Early detection of diabetic retinopathy is critical.
If you have diabetes, or are at risk for the disease, it is important to have dilated eye exams on a schedule recommended by your doctor of optometry. Don't let diabetes and other diseases sneak up on you. Your eyesight and general health are too important to overlook.
For more information, please contact Julie M. Mahoney by telephone at (800) 365-2219 Ext. 176 or by e-mail at JMMahoney@aoa.org.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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