As Diabetes Awareness Month comes to an end, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society encourages people with diabetes to keep up-to-date on their regular eye exams.

 

Roughly 5.7 million Canadians are currently living with diabetes, and with it can come vision-related complications including diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to vision loss if left untreated.

 

Ophthalmologist Doctor Phil Hooper explains how diabetics with the condition can help themselves.

 

“Having a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy made, it’s very important to tighten up the diabetic control and tighten up control of blood pressure. Studies have shown that by doing that, by getting both of those factors in good control, the progression of diabetic retinopathy can be slowed if not stopped.”

 

Once the disease has been diagnosed, three or four eye checkups a year should be the norm to track the condition.   

 

Hooper says only about 27 per cent of diabetics that should be screening are actually being screened and monitored at the appropriate frequency.

 

He added that many diabetics delay vision screening because of their fear of hearing bad news about their sight.

 

For more on diabetic retinopathy, its causes and treatments, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon for the full interview.