Diabetic? Get Eyes Checked Once a Year

More than 16 million Americans are challenged by diabetes, a chronic disorder in which the body fails to properly metabolize blood sugar.

If left untreated, diabetes can become a disabling and even life-threatening condition as excessive blood sugar destroys sensitive tissues throughout the body. People with this ailment must learn to manage it -- by controlling weight and diet, monitoring blood sugar, taking insulin when appropriate and getting plenty of exercise.

But good diabetes management also includes careful attention to eyesight because the disorder can impair or even destory vision by injuring delicate blood vessels in the eye's retina. Known as diabetic retinopathy, this condition now ranks as the most frequent cause of new adult blindness in the U.S., according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

When treating her patients with diabetes, Janet Leasher, O.D., a VSP doctor in Portland, Ore., states, "The first thing I do is remind them that they must get a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year. In some cases, depending on severity, it may be necessary to see your eye doctor more frequently than that."

Why is an annual examination so important? "The problem is that in many cases, injury to the retina can go on for several years before the patient notices any impairment of vision," she says. "That's why it's essential for people with diabetes to schedule a yearly eye exam -- and then show up for it!"

Taken from "Eye on Health" from the VSP WellVision Learning Source® #00594