The most common form of diabetic eye disease is called diabetic retinopathy.

1. Diabetes Can Adversely Affect Your
Eye Sight

2. The most common form of diabetic eye disease is called
diabetic retinopathy. It usually only affects those who have
had diabetes for quite a few years. When it does affect
diabetic patients, it can become dangerous, as it can
increase the risk of blindness if the disease is left
untreated. The risk of developing the condition increases
with age and when blood sugar and blood pressure is left
uncontrolled.

3. 1. What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
This disease occurs when blood glucose levels change,
which in turn causes retinal blood vessels to change. The
vessels swell up and leak fluid into the back of the eye.
Sometimes, the abnormal blood vessels begin to grow on
the retina’s surface.
2. What are the Symptoms?
The difficult thing about this disease is that symptoms may
not occur until the disease advances. However, the most
common symptoms of retinopathy are eye pain, double
vision, eye floaters and spots and blurred vision.

4. 3. Am I at Risk?
If you are affected by poor blood glucose control, high
blood pressure, protein in urine and prolonged diabetes,
you should have a retinopathy screening examination
quickly. The longer a person suffers from diabetes, the
greater the risk of developing this disease.
The risks can be reduced by having a dilated eye exam once
a year and by testing blood sugar levels and urine levels
regularly. Laser surgery is used to treat diabetic eye disease.
The importance of yearly eye examinations by a
professional cannot be overstated. Visit the website to find
an experienced optometrist in El Cajon.