Yearly Eye Exams

Early detection and treatment are essential to preventing vision loss and blindness. However, this isn’t as simple as it sounds. In its early stages, retinopathy usually has no warning signs or symptoms.

Detecting retinopathy requires a comprehensive eye exam. By dilating the pupil and using an ophthalmoscope, an instrument for examining the deep interior of the eye, a specialist can spot microaneurysms long before you notice any vision changes. The ophthalmologist may use other tests, too. Stereoscopic photography provides a detailed view of the retina. Fluorescein angiography involves photographing the eye after a dye has been given intravenously; the dye provides a detailed map of the retinal vessels, clearly revealing any leakage or areas of decreased blood supply.

People with type 1 diabetes should have an annual exam by an ophthalmologist beginning five years after diagnosis, while those with type 2 should see an eye specialist yearly as soon as they learn they have diabetes. Because of delayed diagnosis, about 10%–20% of people with type 2 already have some degree of eye disease when their diabetes is diagnosed. Retinopathy can flare suddenly during pregnancy, so women with diabetes should schedule an eye exam early in their first trimester and be followed closely until three to six months after delivery. This isn’t an issue for women with gestational diabetes.