PROVIDENCE – Diabetes puts more than 100,000 diabetic Rhode Islanders at much higher risk for eye damage than average, but early detection and treatment can mitigate the risk.
While most diabetes management often focuses on controlling blood sugar and blood pressure, an overlooked, yet vital, component of a diabetes care routine is an annual, comprehensive eye exam.
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“Many people with diabetes know they need to get their hemoglobin A1C in check, but it’s just as important to get an eye exam,” said Dr. Katherine Dallow, vice president of clinical affairs and quality at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. “While eyesight is not the first thing that comes to mind when we think about diabetes, it should be – diabetes is the No. 1 cause for new cases of blindness among American adults.”
According to the American Optometric Association, 12,000 to 24,000 people lose their vision every year due to diabetes complications such as diabetic retinopathy, a disease of the retina, the most common eye complication for diabetics. The condition causes changes in the blood vessels of the retina, including leakage or the formation of new, abnormal blood vessels. Patients may not experience symptoms of diabetic retinopathy in the early stages of the disease, but vision loss can occur quickly and without any warning.
Diabetic retinopathy can be prevented through early detection and timely treatment, Dallow said. This is why annual, comprehensive eye exams, ones that include dilation of the eyes, are so important. Dallow said she hopes raising awareness of the condition will empower diabetes patients to practice good self-management.
“Many people with diabetes simply don’t know that they should be getting a comprehensive eye exam that includes dilation every year by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. A vision test is not enough,” said Dallow. “Many don’t have symptoms, so they don’t think they need an eye health check. But, retinopathy can creep up on you and once you notice a problem, the damage has already been done.”
For more information, visit rhodeahead.com/diabetes and eyeondiabetes.eyemed.com.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN contributing writer.
