November, National Diabetes Month, is an opportunity to raise awareness about diabetes and its impact on vision health. Diabetes is a leading cause of vision loss among working-age adults, and diabetic eye disease often develops without early warning signs. An estimated 40.1 million people in the United States live with diabetes, making early detection and regular eye exams critical.
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease, but people with diabetes are also at increased risk for diabetic macular edema, cataracts and glaucoma. Because symptoms may not appear until vision is affected, annual comprehensive dilated eye exams play an important role in early diagnosis and treatment.
Encourage patients with diabetes to prioritize their eye health by:
To support patient education, share the National Eye Institute's diabetic eye disease resources. You can also expand your knowledge through our free COPE-accredited CE courses, including The Role of Optometry in the Management of Diabetes.