If you have diabetes, then you may already know you are at a higher risk for developing a serious eye disease than those without diabetes.

November is American Diabetes Month and Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, and at Optikk 30A, we are encouraging anyone who is living with diabetes to schedule a comprehensive eye exam. Studies have recently shown there is a large decline in the number of Americans living with diabetes who are attending regular eye exams. Annual eye exams with your local Optometrist can reveal early signs of eye disease in asymptomatic patients.

Individuals with diabetes have a heightened risk for retina disorders. As your blood sugar gets too high, it can cause damage to your retina, resulting in diabetic retinopathy. Other diseases that can be caused by diabetes are glaucoma, cataracts, and macular edema. In its advanced stages, diabetes can cause retinal detachment which can lead to blindness if untreated.

Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy and other related problems may include:

Fluctuating vision
Eye floaters and spots
Development of a scotoma or shadow in your field of view
Blurry, distorted and/or double vision
Corneal abnormalities such as slow healing of wounds due to corneal abrasions
Eye pain
Near vision problems unrelated to presbyopia

Early stages may not develop symptoms at all, so it is important to keep a regularly scheduled eye exam to catch these diseases before it is too late. The risk for diabetes related diseases increases with age and with the longevity of your diabetes.

Here are a few stats from The American Diabetes Association on eye health:

One in ten Americans have diabetes
Individuals with diabetes are 40% more likely to suffer from glaucoma
Individuals with diabetes are 60% more likely to develop cataracts
Having an annual eye exam can prevent 95 percent of diabetes-related vision loss

As you can see, it is critical to schedule and keep your annual eye exams. At Optikk 30A, we offercomprehensive eye care, emergency services, contact lenses, and luxury eyewear. Many of these eye conditions may require you to wear sunglasses more often and use glare-control lenses with your glasses. Stop by our optical boutique in Redfish Village on scenic 30A to get set up for an annual eye exam. Our professional team can fit you with the right lenses to help meet your vision needs.

Read more about diabetes related eye illnesses on www.diabetes.org under Living with Diabetes.