Diabetes is the number one cause of impaired vision among adults aged 20-74 years. In just the last four years, over four million adults in North America suffering from diabetes were tested positive for diabetes related blindness. Of this number, seventy thousand suffered from advanced diabetic retinopathy, which, if left unmonitored, will lead to irreversible blindness.

The big question is, how important is it to get tested for blindness cause by diabetes?

Having diabetes is the first risk factor. Anyone in this category should ensure that they have an eye exam once a year. The longer the affliction remains unmonitored, the stronger the danger of diabetes related blindness. Speedy treatment will go a long way in halting further damage.

Women who are pregnant that are diagnosed with gestational diabetes have a stronger likelihood of contracting diabetic retinopathy. It is advisable to schedule a complete dilated eye test after diagnosis as well.

Maybe you are wondering, why all the concern? Won't you notice if you were going blind?

Well the answer shockingly is, not necessarily. There are several forms of diabetic retinopathy, and only those in the acute phases are easy to discern. Advanced diabetes can have no signs. Macular edema is another diabetes caused disease which results in extreme sight loss. Both conditions can manifest without any obvious symptoms. This is why early detection is important to preventing irreversible damage.

An extensive test will seek out symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. There are distinct steps to this exam which will show the typical signs, such as leaky blood vessels, swelling of the retina, the buildup of fatty deposits on the retina, and damaged nerve tissue. What is included in a comprehensive eye exam?

Firstly, you will get a visual acuity exam by means of an eye chart which is used to determine how correctly you can see at different distances. This is the same as the visual acuity exams given by your eye doctor, to see if you need corrective lenses.

During a dilated eye exam, the eye doctor puts drops in your eyes to widen the size of your pupils. Not a particularly beloved test by the squeamish, but it can prevent a lot of heartache in subsequent years. This method makes it easier to check a larger part of the inside of your eyes to identify for distinct signs that reveal the likelihood of diabetic retinopathy. The short discomfort could save your eye sight.

Regularly monitor your eye sight. Even a little complacency might cause severe damage. If you are living with diabetes, it is imperative to book an eye examination with your eye doctor once a year without fail.