Whether you realize it or not, those suffering with diabetes in Orlando are susceptible to eye disease. Since it often has very little symptoms and usually painless, it is important to receive proper vision care to increase your chances of healthy vision.
WebMD “Approximately two out of every five Americans will develop type 2 diabetes at some point during their adult lives, according to new U.S. government estimates. The ongoing diabetes and obesity epidemics have combined with ever-increasing human lifespans to increase lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes to about 40 percent for both men and women, said lead study author Edward Gregg, chief of the epidemiology and statistics branch in the division of diabetes translation at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Diabetics are prone to eye problems from cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy. Those with diabetes are 60% more likely to develop cataracts than someone who doesn’t have the disease, it also progresses faster. Glaucoma is 40% higher in diabetics, due to improper draining of the fluid in the eye causing pressure and damaging the optic nerve. Retinopathy occurs when the retina is damaged from high levels of blood sugar.”
According to WebMD, “Early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy can help prevent vision loss. For people in whom diabetic retinopathy has not been diagnosed, the American Diabetes Association recommends that screening be done based on the following guidelines”:
People with type 1 diabetes who are age 10 and older should have a dilated eye exam within 5 years after diabetes is diagnosed and then every year.
People with type 2 diabetes should have an exam as soon as diabetes is diagnosed and then every year.
If your eye exam results are normal, your doctor may consider follow-up exams less often. For example, you may have an exam every 2 years. But if you are diagnosed with retinopathy, you may need frequent eye exams.
Women who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and who are planning to become pregnant should have an exam before becoming pregnant, if possible, and then once during the first 3 months (first trimester) of pregnancy. The eye doctor can decide whether you need further screening for retinopathy during pregnancy based on the results of the first-trimester exam.”
Lake Nona Eye Care is a leading provider in vision care and optometry services in the Orlando Area. Contact us today for an appointment.