November is National Diabetes Month

October 2022

November is National Diabetes Month. Diabetic eye disease, a leading cause of blindness, often has no early warning signs. Early detection, timely treatment and appropriate follow-up care are the only ways to prevent vision loss. More than 30 million people living in the United States have diabetes1. Having diabetes increases the risk for vision loss and blindness from diabetic eye diseases. The most common diabetic eye disease is diabetic retinopathy, but people with diabetes are also at higher risk for diabetic macular edema (DME), cataract and glaucoma. The longer a person has diabetes, the greater their risk of developing diabetic eye disease. But the good news is that early detection and treatment can lower the risk of blindness by 95%. And managing diabetes with diet, exercise and medication is the best way for people with diabetes to lower the risk of vision loss. 

During National Diabetes Month, the National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) is encouraging you to spread the word about how people with diabetes can protect their vision. As a health professional or community leader, you are in a good position to encourage people to take steps to protect their vision. Help spread the word about diabetic eye disease with the National Eye Institute’s latest educational resources.

There are several free COPE-accredited continuing education courses, including The Role of Optometry in the Management of Diabetes, to help you provide the highest level of vision care to members. Take the course today for National Diabetes Month and earn 1 CE credit.