Over 3.6 million Americans above the age of 40 suffer from a diabetic eye disease, most commonly diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness for American adults and the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. The number of Americans with diabetic retinopathy is projected to increase 50% by 2030.

If you have diabetes, please get a comprehensive eye exam annually even if you do not believe you are experiencing any vision difficulties. The vision loss is caused by high blood glucose levels that damage or destroy blood vessels in the retina.

This damage is irreversible—but the damage may be prevented in many cases if detected early. Unfortunately, symptoms often not detected until the condition reaches an advanced stage. These symptoms include blurry or double vision and can include dark patches in your vision or floaters. If you have any of these symptoms please schedule an eye exam as soon as possible.