Even if you are not experiencing any symptoms due to your diabetes mellitus, you should have an annual eye examination by an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who specializes in eye care and surgery).
If your ophthalmologist notices any significant signs of diabetic eye disease or if you require treatment, you may need to be examined more frequently.
If you note any significant changes in your vision other than a mild temporary blurring, you should contact your ophthalmologist immediately.
If you watch your diet, perform your exercise routine, monitor your blood sugars, and take your diabetic medications, the chances of developing serious problems due to diabetes mellitus decrease dramatically.
If you have diabetic eye disease and are experiencing serious visual problems, almost all your treatment requires the care provided by an ophthalmologist.
If you have diabetes mellitus and mild diabetic eye disease, you may only need follow-up examinations with your ophthalmologist every year.
If you have more serious disease, more frequent follow-up appointments with your ophthalmologist are required and based on the severity of your disease.
If you have diabetes mellitus, βan ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.β If you watch your diet, perform your exercise routine, monitor your blood sugars, and take your diabetic medications, the chances of developing serious problems from diabetes decrease dramatically.
Even if you have not been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, watching your diet Therapy maintaining a healthy weight, participating in an exercise program, and not smoking are advisable. This is especially important in light of the new, more accurate definition of diabetes mellitus that estimates 41 million people in the United States have "pre-diabetes," a condition that significantly increases the risk for developing this disease.