This month (November) is National Diabetic Eye Disease Month. In honor of this, we have put together some facts for you to consider if you are diabetic or know someone who is.

1. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in people ages 20-74.

2. Roughly 16,000 people unnecessarily lose their vision to complications of diabetes every year.

3. Approximately 54 million Americans aged 40-74 (over 40%) are prediabetic. Being prediabetic puts patients in the HIGH risk category for developing type 2 diabetes.

4. Diabetics are over 40% more likely to develop glaucoma. Glaucoma can cause legal blindness with absolutely no signs or symptoms.

5. There are over 6 million diabetics that are unaware that they have the disease.

6. With early detection and treatment, permanent vision loss from diabetic retinopathy can be avoided.

7. All diabetic patients should have dilated, routine eye exams at least once a year with your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Patients with a history of retinopathy should be seen more often than once a year. The eye is the only organ in the human body in which blood vessels can be observed without cutting you open. When there is leakage or damage to the blood vessels in the eye, there is likely similar findings in the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys.

8. In many cases there are no appreciable symptoms of early stage diabetic retinopathy.

9. If symptoms are noted, they may include: Blurred vision, double vision, a feeling of pressure in your eyes, straight lines appear wavy or crooked, and loss of peripheral vision.

10. If you are diabetic (or someone you know or love is), think about when your last eye exam (or theirs)… If it has been more than 12 months, pick up the phone and call the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Torrington Eyecare to set up an appointment today – (860) 482-4439.