November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among people under 75, so it’s important to identify and treat eye health problems early.
Diabetes affects the blood vessels in your body. When it comes to your eyes, diabetes affects the small blood vessels in the retina. We call this diabetic retinopathy. The retina is the photoreceptor layer on the inside of the eye, and a healthy retina is important for good vision.
There are various stages of diabetic retinopathy. Initially, there are small changes in the shape of the blood vessels. Then, there may be small spots of bleeding in the retina. You may not have any symptoms at these early stages. The blood vessels can become leaky, causing swelling in the central retina (macular edema), and this can cause blurry vision.
Schedule an annual eye exam with us today!
