Regular Eye Exams Help Prevent Diabetes-Related Blindness

Diabetic retinopathy damages retinal blood vessels and can lead to bleeding, scarring, retinal detachment and vision loss, often before symptoms appear. Eye specialists recommend screening everyone with diabetes: people with type 2 diabetes should be examined at diagnosis, while people with type 1 diabetes should generally be screened within five years. Regular dilated eye exams by an eye-care professional can detect changes early, when treatment may help prevent or slow vision loss; people should not wait for symptoms such as floaters, blurred vision or shadows in their field of view.