Retinopathy (NAPSA)—Although November is National Diabetes Month, any month is a good time for the 16 million people in the United States who have diabetes to have a dilated eye exam. This is because diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in people ages 20 to 74, blinding more than 15,000 people each year. retinopathy is the most common form of diabetic eye disease—it affects half of all Americans diagnosed with diabetes. All people with diabetes are at risk—those with type 1 and type2. retinopathy can also be a problem for women who develop diabetes during pregnancy(gestational diabetes). Pregnant women with diabetes should definitely have dilated eye examinations each trimester to protect their vision. Although it’s possible to have sight-threatening retinopathy before symptoms develop, some signs that could develop include spots, “floaters,” or blurred vision. People with diabetes should see their eyecare professional immediately if their vision becomes blurry, they see double, if one or both eyes hurt, there is pressure in an eye, they see spots or floaters, or if peripheral vision is not as good as it was previously. Because a person with diabetes can have retinopathy and not know it, everyone with diabetes should have a dilated eye examination at least once a year. If detected, early treatment of eye problems can help save yoursight. To learn more, please visit www.checkyearly.com.
