Diabetes can cause eye problems
By John Wood, OD Special to the Acorn

November is National Diabetes Month. Anyone who has or may be at risk for diabetes should have an annual eye examination.

"Diabetes affects 18.2 million Americans, 5.2 million of which may not know they have the disease," said Dr. John Wood, therapeutic optometrist. "One of the health problems associated with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, a disease of the eye which can cause blindness."

Diabetic retinopathy can weaken the blood vessels that nourish the retina. Symptoms may include blurred vision, cloudiness and/or "floaters." The eye is the only location in the body where a doctor can visualize exactly how much damage diabetes is causing.

There are classic diabetic signs in the retina which show hemorrhages, exudates (leaking proteins and cellular elements) and microaneurysms in blood vessels. When these signs are visible in the retina, a doctor knows that this same damage is occurring in every tissue in the body.

But the early stages of diabetic retinopathy may produce no visual symptoms at all. That is why it is so important for anyone who has diabetes or a family history of diabetes to have a comprehensive annual eye examination. Early detection and treatment are essential because once damage has occurred, the effects are usually permanent. Diabetics also have a greater incidence of glaucoma, cataract and other ocular problems.

Regular screening and timely intervention can halt or reverse the progression of this disease. Digital retinal imaging has become an integral part of eye screening programs due to the greater accuracy and diagnosis in staging diabetic retinopathy.

Optos scans produce retinal images which can be compared during subsequent examinations to monitor permanent changes in the retina. Reading the retinal images facilitates the follow-up management of diabetic patients, and patients can observe the scans and see exactly the extent of their diabetes.

Dr. John Wood practices at Moorpark Optometric Eyecare, 525-F Los Angeles Ave.