Diabetes eye damage must be picked up early for it to be successfully stopped or treated. If damage is picked up late there is often not much that can be done to save your sight.
Some people already have the early signs of diabetes eye damage when they first find out they have diabetes. Therefore it’s very important that you have a full diabetes eye check when you first know you have diabetes. From that time on you should have a full eye check at least every two years.
Diabetes eye damage is sometimes called a ‘silent’ disease. This is because the damage can be happening a long time before you notice any change at all in your sight. By the time your sight changes the damage is often very bad. Don’t wait until you notice your vision is changing before you have your eyes properly checked.
So, it’s really important to:
- Get a full diabetes eye check when you first find out you have diabetes
- Have regular diabetes eye checks every two years once you know you have diabetes
- If you already have any diabetes eye damage have checks and treatment as directed by an eye specialist