Concerns for your eyes if you have Diabetes
Diabetic Retinopathy is a potentially serious disorder that affects the retina, (the back of the eyeball that receives images and transmits them to the brain by way of the optic nerve). Any damage to the retina can result in diminished vision and/or loss of vision.
All readers should remember: you may not be aware that you are at risk for Diabetes. Factors as pregnancy, high blood pressure, age, family history, smoking, being overweight and diets rich in fats increase the chances of developing Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy. One of the complications of diabetes is the weakening of tiny blood vessels that nourish and feed the retina.
When this happens, some of the blood vessels begin to leak fluid, protein and/or blood. If this is detected during your eye health and vision examination, a communication to your primary care physician and/or endocrinologist will be forwarded so that care can be initiated or treatment measures may be changed. The leakage may be minimal and can be carefully monitored or it may be considerable so that need for retinal specialist treatment would be indicated to seal the leaking retinal blood vessels.
For your best care, it is essential for regular eye health and vision examinations so that appropriate interventions can be initiated before irreversible damage occurs.
