What You Should Know About Diabetic Retinopathy
As someone who has diabetes, you are probably aware of the fact that your entire body can be negatively impacted by your condition. What you might not know much about, though, is diabetic retinopathy, which is a serious eye condition that can be a big problem for people who have diabetes. These are some of the things that you should know about diabetic retinopathy as someone who has diabetes and who might be at risk of this complication.
You May Not Notice Any Symptoms at First
Be aware that you might not notice the symptoms of this diabetes complication right away. For example, some people who suffer from diabetic retinopathy don't notice any symptoms at all, or they might notice very mild and subtle vision changes. However, since getting treatment for this complication as soon as possible is very important if you want to save your vision, it is important for you to watch out for the signs. It's also important for you to have your eyes checked on a regular basis; after all, not only can this help you ensure that diabetic retinopathy is caught early if it does become a problem, but it can also help with watching out for other eye-related complications or changes in your vision, too.
This Problem Can Be Exacerbated by Smoking
You don't have to be a smoker in order to develop diabetic retinopathy; in fact, this is a common eye problem for people who have diabetes. However, if you are a smoker, you might be at a higher risk of developing this problem, or you might find that it will get worse more quickly if you are a smoker. Therefore, if you are concerned about your eye health and your overall health, consider talking to your doctor about smoking cessation products and methods that you can try.
You Should Address the Issue Immediately
If you do think that you might have diabetic retinopathy, or if your eye doctor has told you that this is the case, then you should take action immediately. After all, you could be at risk of blindness.
You Should See the Right Eye Doctor
Although your regular optometrist can help you keep an eye out for signs of diabetic retinopathy, and although your optometrist might be able to point you in the right direction of a specialist who can assist you if you suffer from this condition, you shouldn't rely on a regular eye doctor for help. Instead, you should look for a specialist who has experience with treating this condition in particular for best results.
