Diabetes can manifest in the eye (known as diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema) even BEFORE diagnosis! The retina at the back of the eye acts like a camera, helping you see. When small blood vessels leak in the retina, it can affect your vision. Sometimes that leakage occurs at the macula in the center of the eye, causing macular edema (or swelling in the eye) and can present as blurry vision. Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in American adults, and affects over 25% of diabetics. Annual DILATED eye exams can help detect and allow for proper treatment of diabetic eye disease!
Dr. Patricia Salazar performing eye exams on deployment in the military.