Diabetes is a leading cause of new blindness in the United States. It can occur at any age and with no symptoms. Diabetic patients are 25 times more likely to suffer blindness than the general population. But the good news is that nine out of ten cases of blindness can be prevented if detected and treated early.

If you have been diagnosed as diabetic, your best defense is a thorough dilated eye examination by your primary vision care specialist yearly. This precaution is absolutely essential in arresting the decline of vision due to diabetes.

John D. Matthews, MD., and John T. Harriott, MD., are fellowship-trained retina specialists at the Diabetic Eye Center at Southeastern Eye Center. They want to provide you with information about diabetes and how it affects your eyes - because the more you know, the better prepared you will be to protect and preserve your eyesight.

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