Diabetic Retinopathy: A Leading Cause of Vision Loss

Diabetes is the number one cause of impaired sight of adults between age twenty and seventy-four. As of 2008, over four million people in North America afflicted with diabetes were subsequently diagnosed with blindness caused by diabetes. Of this group, seventy thousand suffered from advanced diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to a serious vision loss.

While not every individual is at risk of diabetes related vision loss, it is essential to know the connection between the disease and blindness.

An existing diagnosis of diabetes is the first risk factor. The best method to find out if you have diabetes related vision loss is to have your eye care professional perform an eye exam once a year. The longer the disease remains unmonitored, the stronger the risk of diabetes related vision loss. Timely treatment will go a long way in halting further damage.

Women who are expecting that have been diagnosed with pregnancy-related diabetes have a stronger possibility of developing diabetic retinopathy. It is important to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam after diagnosis as well.

You may wonder why all the concern? Wouldn't there be tell tale symptoms if you were losing your sight?

Well the answer surprisingly is, not necessarily. There are many types of diabetic retinopathy, and only those in the severe stages are easily discernible. Proliferative diabetes may have no signs. Macular edema is another diabetes caused disease which results in extreme vision loss. Both afflictions may develop without noticeable symptoms. This is why early detection is crucial to stopping any lasting injury.

A comprehensive evaluation will search for precursors of diabetic retinopathy. There are various phases to this exam which will reveal the tell-tale signs, such as damaged nerve tissue, swelling of the retina, the presence of fatty deposits on the retina, and leaky blood vessels. What is entailed in a complete eye exam?

The eye doctor will perform a visual acuity exam by means of an eye chart that is used to assess how well you can see at various distances. This is the same as the visual acuity examinations given by your eye doctor, if you need glasses.

To give a dilated eye exam, the eye doctor puts drops in your eyes to amplify your pupils. Though not a favorite of the faint of heart, it can save you blindness in 10-15 years. This procedure makes it easier to monitor a larger part of the inside of your eyes to look for distinct symptoms that reveal the likelihood of diabetic retinopathy. The short discomfort may save your eye sight.

When it comes to your sight, even a little hesitation can lead to serious damage. If you are living with diabetes, it is imperative to book a vision examination with an eye doctor as soon as possible.