Diabetes

If you’re over the age of 25, there’s about a 7 per cent chance you have diabetes. Once you reach 75, this number jumps to approximately one-quarter of all people. Diabetes is increasingly common in Australia, and the vast majority of patients (around 70%) will also develop changes in their eye health in the first 15 years.

This makes your optometrist just as important as your GP when it comes to diagnosing and managing diabetes. At Masons Eyecare, our team of Kempsey optometrists is here to assist you with all diabetes-related eye conditions.

Here are just some of the ways we can assist you:

• Changes or fluctuations in your ability to focus often lead our optometrists to a diabetes diagnosis. By controlling blood glucose levels, focussing can be resolved.
• Diabetes can also lead to damage in the blood vessels in the retina. This is known as diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can be non-proliferative or proliferative. Our team can diagnose and distinguish between these two conditions and provide effective management.
• Non-proliferative – or background – diabetic retinopathy generally does not cause vision changes but may cause occasional haziness due to retinal swelling. After diagnosis, Masons Eyecare will refer you for further treatment as required.
• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy can lead to significant vision loss without early intervention. A professional diagnosis from our team will mean you are referred for specialist treatment sooner, giving you a better chance of successful treatment

As with all aspects of diabetes, controlling your blood glucose levels is essential to reducing the risks associated with diabetic retinopathy. To assist with this, we recommend visiting your GP or an endocrinologist on a regular basis.

For patients with diabetes, we recommend eye examinations every year – with more regular appointments if you have been diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. For more information or to book an appointment, please contact our team today.