Focusing on Diabetic Eye Disease

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We recommend to our Dallas/Fort Worth patients with diabetes that they get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year to prevent vision loss; which can ultimately lead to blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common eye disease among diabetics. Cataracts and glaucoma are also common. As the name implies, diabetic retinopathy is tied to diabetes and can cause damage to the blood vessels in the retina. According to the National Eye Institute, in 2013 7.7 million people over 40 have diabetic retinopathy with an estimated 11 million by 2030.

This eye disease doesn’t always have early warning signs. So if you have diabetes, it’s important to have at least one comprehensive eye exam per year, even if you have no vision problems. The longer you have diabetes, the longer your risk of vision loss. The National Eye Institute also reports that “95% of severe vision loss from diabetic retinopathy can be prevented by early detection, timely treatment, and appropriate follow-up.”

If you have diabetes and want to know more about diabetic retinopathy, please call our Dallas area opthalmology office in Grapevine – convenient to most all of the Dallas/Fort Worth region. You can also visit the National Eye Institute’s website at www.nei.nih.gov/diabetes.