Blindness remains a common fear of people with diabetes, but early diagnosis and treatment of diabetic eye disease prevents vision loss in most cases.

Don't wait for your loved one to complain of symptoms before taking preventive measures, however. Eye disease is often painless at the outset, so it is important to schedule an annual dilated-eye exam (where the doctor places drops in the eyes) to identify eye complications at their earliest, most treatable stages, say experts at the Beetham Eye Institute of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

Those with diabetes are at risk for cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, the major cause of vision loss in American adults. Nearly all people with type 1 diabetes show some degree of retinopathy, according to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

Retinopathy develops when high blood glucose levels damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye. As it progresses, the blood vessels leak and rupture.
The earlier treatment starts for retinopathy, the better the outcome.

Two major goals for preventing or slowing the progression of diabetic retinopathy:

• Maintain excellent blood glucose levels (A1C levels under seven percent)
• Keep blood pressure under control

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