By Emily Murray

Today is World Diabetes Day, which helps bring awareness to a disease that affects millions across the globe. What many diabetics may not realize however is that eye care becomes increasingly important after diagnosis.

Diabetic eye disease is one commonly missed issue associated with the disease. In fact, there are several conditions which fall in to this category including cataracts, glaucoma, and also diabetic retinopathy. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of blindness in young adults, middle aged adults and seniors (ranging in age from 20 to 74). African Americans are at an increased risk of suffering from this and as a result should be even more vigilant about monitoring their eye care.

So what is the best defense if you have diabetes? Make sure to have a dilated eye exam at least once a year so that a problem can be recognized before any vision lose occurs.

If an eye issue is diagnosed early on and treated promptly, the success for treating the issue is much higher. Severe vision loss can actually be reduced 95% of the time with early detection.

Those who do not have their blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol managed properly are at the highest risk for complications.

Other ways to prevent vision loss associated with diabetes include –

*Not Smoking
*Proper Medication and Management Practices
*Daily Exercise
*Remaining at a Healthy Weight
*Proper Health Monitoring

Whether you or someone you know is living with diabetes, it’s wise to stress the importance of vision maintenance and checkups. The longer you have been diabetic, the risk of losing your vision increase.