November is American Diabetes Month. Diabetes affects nearly 29.1 million children and adults in the United States, and an additional 86 million Americans are at risk of developing this life altering disease.
But diabetes does not just impact your blood sugar levels. Long-term diabetes can cause blood vessels in the retina of the eye to break down, leading to loss of vision and even blindness. Because doctors don’t know the cause, preventing diabetic eye disease, or retinopathy, is essential.
There are two things people with diabetes can do to slow, and perhaps prevent, that complication with the help of their doctors. The first is to try to keep their blood sugar and blood pressure as close to normal as possible. Secondly, they should have regular dilated eye exams to detect any early signs of eye disease, such as small problems in the blood vessels of the retina.
For more information on how diabetes can affect your eyes, or if you are at risk for developing the disease, schedule an appointment at Metro Eye today to help protect your vision. Give us a call at (414) 727-5888 or visit us online here.
Photo credit: escritorio47 / Foter.com / CC BY-ND