Skipping eye exams can be risky, especially for Alabamians with diabetes. This November, during Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, the Alabama Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons is reminding everyone with diabetes to get their eyes checked.

Diabetes is the top cause of preventable blindness for adults ages 20 to 74 in the U.S., and Alabama has one of the highest diabetes rates in the country. Nearly 600,000 adults in Alabama have diabetes – about 15 percent of the adult population. Another 119,000 Alabamians have diabetes but don’t know it yet.

"It is really important to get your annual exam even if you are not having eye problems,” said Dr. Tarek Persaud, an ophthalmologist in Huntsville. “Diabetic eye disease is fairly straightforward to correct if we catch it early enough. If we wait for the disease to become more advanced before acting, then often the diabetic damage can be a real struggle to repair and the patient is left with some permanent visual disability."

In the early stages of diabetic eye disease, people don’t usually notice any vision changes. But as it progresses, diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision loss that often can’t be undone. That’s why regular eye exams are essential – they catch the disease early when it’s easier to treat.

To learn more about keeping your eyes healthy, visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart^® website.