Annual dilated eye exams crucial for diabetic patients

Diabetic patients are encouraged to get an annual dilated eye exam and with November being Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, prevention strategies are being stressed. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults. Close monitoring by an eye care professional can help lessen diabetes' impact on vision and with diabetics being 40 percent more likely to develop glaucoma and 60 percent more likely to develop cataracts, vigilance is critical in a diabetics overall health care. Those who have been diabetic for a greater length of time, have high blood pressure, kidney disease and poor blood sugar regulation are at a much higher risk of developing diabetic eye disease which includes glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. You can find out more by visiting preventblindness.org/diabetes.*