Diabetic eye disease is the leading cause of blindness among people ages 40-60, and the longer you have diabetes, the greater your likelihood of developing vision problems.
“Diabetic eye disease is preventable [however], and you can take steps to slow it down or even reverse it by taking care of your diabetes, your blood pressure, and your cholesterol,” said Malav Joshi, MD, an ophthalmologist at the Krieger Eye Institute.
An annual dilated eye exam allows doctors to check the inside of the eye for things like abnormal blood vessels, retinal swelling, and nerve tissue damage. “It also helps us see your cataracts a little better,” Joshi said.
This exam can help your doctor identify problems before vision loss occurs, which is important because often there are no warning signs and vision may not be affected when damage first develops, said Joshi.
This article was adapted from information provided by LifeBridge Health.
