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More Diabetic Patients Skipping Life-Saving Eye Exams

127It’s no secret that when you have diabetes, you have to be much more vigilant about the foods you eat, your activity level, and your general lifestyle habits.  But surprisingly, one of the most important components of living with diabetes is being skipped by a whopping six out of 10 people.

Wondering what that lifesaving step is? Simple – it’s getting a regular eye exam.

People with diabetes are more likely to develop seriously debilitating – and even deadly – eye diseases.  However, a recent study revealed that six out of 10 patients skip annual eye exams.  The study – conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia – also concluded that:

  • Patients with mild diabetes but no other chief complaints who also smoke were more likely to skip their eye exams; and
  • Patients who were diagnosed with an eye disease were 30 percent more likely to go to their eye exams than patients who were not diagnosed.

The results are distressing, especially considering that annual eye exams can prevent up to 95 percent of diabetes-related vision loss.[1]

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes or have a history of diabetes in your immediate family, it’s recommended that you schedule an annual appointment with an ophthalmologist.

To learn more about what steps you should take to protect your vision, schedule an appointment with Dr. Jacqueline Griffiths at NewView Eye Center in Reston, Virginia.  Dr. Griffiths can provide you with lifesaving annual examinations and key advice that will keep your eyes healthy while living with diabetes.

NewView Eye Center also serves the greater Washington, DC areas.

[1] https://www.aao.org/eye-health/news/sixty-percent-skip-diabetic-eye-exams