November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, and World Diabetes Day falls on November 14. It's the perfect time to talk about something that doesn't get enough attention: what diabetes can do to your eyes.

The silent threat: diabetic retinopathy

If you live with diabetes, you probably keep a close eye on your blood sugar, diet, and medication. But your eyes deserve the same attention.

Diabetic retinopathy happens when high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. It's a leading cause of preventable blindness, and the key word there is preventable.

You might not notice a problem

In its early stages, diabetic retinopathy often causes no symptoms at all. Your vision can seem perfectly normal while damage quietly develops. By the time you notice blurred vision, dark patches, or floaters, the condition may already be advanced. That's why waiting for symptoms isn't a safe strategy. Screening can spot changes in the retina long before you would.

Early detection makes all the difference

Caught early, diabetic retinopathy can often be slowed or stopped through better control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and where needed, treatments like laser therapy or injections. Caught late, options are limited and some vision loss may be permanent.

Diabetes can also raise your risk of other eye conditions, including macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma, and a thorough screening can help pick these up too.

How often should you be screened?

Guidance varies by country and individual circumstances, so always follow your own care team's advice. As a general rule:

• Type 2 diabetes: screening usually starts at diagnosis.

• Type 1 diabetes: screening usually starts within a few years of diagnosis.

• After that: typically every one to two years, or more often if changes are found.

• Pregnancy: if you have diabetes and are pregnant or planning to be you may need extra checks.

  
  

Protect your sight

• Manage your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

• Don't smoke.

• Never skip an appointment. A missed screening is a missed chance to catch problems early.

• Know the warning signs. Sudden vision changes, new floaters, or dark areas in your vision need urgent attention. Contact your doctor or an eye care professional straight away.

  
  

This World Diabetes Day, make a plan

Can't remember your last eye screening? Now's the time to book one. And if someone you love has diabetes, ask when they were last checked. It's a small conversation that could protect their sight for years to come. Here are some of our IBISrecheck customer locations to choose from:

Black & Lizars, Glasgow and Edinburgh: https://www.blackandlizars.com/

Southall Eye Clinic, Southall, UB2 4DG: https://southalleyeclinic.com/

Visionwise Opticians, London, E17 7AD: https://visionwiseopticians.co.uk/

This article is for general information only and isn't a substitute for professional medical advice. Please speak to your doctor or eye care provider about the screening schedule that's right for you.