Worryingly, half of adults with diabetes are undiagnosed[1] and the disease is often referred to as the invisible disease. It is much easier to recognise when one knows what to look for – so it’s all eyes on diabetes for World Diabetes Day on 14 November.
The stakes are high: diabetes is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, lower limb amputations and blindness.
The call-to-action for World Diabetes Day is to be screened for diabetes, firstly to modify the course of the disease and secondly to reduce the risk of complications – like blindness.
Diabetic retinopathy which leads to blindness is the most common eye condition among diabetics. This is an avoidable tragedy in many cases because the risk can be reduced and loss of vision can be limited.
If you have diabetes and treasure the faces of your loved ones, the joys of reading and television, the thrill of a sporting victory, and the glow of the sunset, do not let the disease ruin your eyesight – instead get your eyes checked.
