November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month

The American Optometric Association (AOA) found that about 44 percent of Americans do not know that a person with diabetes should have an eye examination each year. 

If caught early, the vision loss from diabetes is preventable. The only place in the body that blood vessels are visible, are in the eyes. That is why it is important to have annual dilated eye examinations, as this allows a clear view of the retina and can detect diabetic eye disease, called diabetic retinopathy (DR).  Symptoms of DR can include blurred or fluctuating vision, dark floating spots, and poor night vision and color vision. 

The longer a person has diabetes, the greater their risk for eye disease. Also it is reported that people with diabetes are more likely to develop other conditions like glaucoma and cataracts. 

To help reduce the risk of developing diabetic eye disease, patients are urged to control their cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure, to exercise regularly, not smoke, and maintain a healthy diet.  Most importantly, don't forget to schedule an appointment with your eye-care provider. 

Dr. Nersisyan is an optometrist at Wink Optometry