SAN ANTONIO – Diabetes affects about 18.2 million Americans, and 5.2 million of those are living with diabetic eye disease, according to Prevent Blindness.
Ophthalmologist Teresa Trevino Whitney, with the San Antonio Eye Center, said the high levels of sugar in the blood caused by diabetes can lead to damage in the retina.
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She said symptoms include fluctuation in vision, drop in vision, black spots or black lines, but that ultimately, there could be no symptoms at all.
That's why she said prevention is key.
"You want to see your eye doctor at least once a year," Whitney said, "because as we discussed, you may have no symptoms, and your eye doctor may spot some damage there. Again, that's that red flag – get things under control."
She said there are several treatments and prevention methods available at the San Antonio Eye Center. For more information, call 210-226-6169 or visit their website.
You can also assess your risk level by taking this quiz (PDF).
