During Diabetes Awareness Month, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society is sounding the alarm about diabetic retinopathy.

The condition, if left undetected and untreated, can cause a variety of vision issues, including blindness.

Dr. Mona Dagher , the President of the COS, has more details.

“Across Canada, about 3.7 million people are living with diabetes. Roughly one fourth will have some degree of diabetic retinopathy and in Manitoba particularly, screening programs have found a very similar rate. About 25 percent of people with diabetes show some signs of retinopathy when they are imaged.”

Dagher said that early diabetic retinopathy often has no symptoms, so regular eye checkups are necessary to detect the condition early so that treatment can begin.

Tune in to Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10 to learn more about diabetic retinopathy, how it’s detected and the treatments available.