Why is an annual eye exam important for people with diabetes? | Rare Techy

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – November is National Diabetes Month and Dr. Optometrists like Rasika Whitesell hope so.

“Diabetes of the eye is very common,” Whitesell said. “Their main symptom is blurred vision, but if diabetes and sugar are not well controlled, the retina can bleed, which can lead to severe vision loss.”

More than 30 million people in the United States have diabetes, which increases the risk of vision loss and blindness from diabetic eye disease.

“I found a lot of people who had retinal hemorrhages who had no symptoms,” Whitesell said. “There are no pain receptors in the back of our eyes.”

Whitesell recommends annual eye exams because they can detect the condition before a person sees anything wrong. Early detection and treatment can reduce the risk of blindness by 95 percent, according to the National Eye Institute.

“I’ve had a lot of patients come in and their sugar is through the roof and it’s blurring their vision. They don’t know if it’s just the glasses that need to be changed or if it’s true diabetes.

With this in mind, Whitesell recommends seeing an optometrist to prevent serious damage before it’s too late.

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