Diabetic eye disease otherwise known as Diabetic Retinopathy is a complication of Diabetes Mellitus. Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include:
- Age
- Duration of the disease- The longer one has diabetes, the greater the chance of developing diabetic retinopathy
- Smoking increases the risk of diabetic eye disease.
- Alcohol can exacerbate the situation.
- Hypertension increases the risk of diabetic retinopathy, heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
- Poor blood sugar control influences the disease. Proper diet, medication and exercise are crucial for good control.
- Pregnancy is a known risk factor for the development of diabetic retinopathy.
There are no symptoms in the early stages. Vision is usually good until the later stages. Vision then appears to be blurry or even totally blocked. Sometimes the situations may advance without anyone noticing. That is why regular eye examinations are important.
It is usually recommended that one see the eye doctor at least once a year. Sometimes the first signs of diabetes show up in the eye and the eye doctor may be the first person to diagnose it. Early treatment of diabetes saves sight.
If you have diabetic retinopathy your doctor may want you to visit more often. A complete dilated eye examination is done. The eye doctor uses drops to widen the pupil of the eye so as to get a closer look at the retina. This examination is not necessarily part of an eye examination for glasses or contact lenses.
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