Diabetic Eye Disease: What Every Patient Should Know

Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide, and Mauritius has one of the highest prevalence rates globally. Among its many complications, diabetic eye disease remains one of the most serious yet preventable causes of vision loss.

Types of Diabetic Eye Disease

• Diabetic retinopathy: damage to blood vessels in the retina
• Diabetic macular oedema: swelling in the central retina
• Cataracts: tend to develop earlier in diabetes
• Glaucoma: increased risk with diabetes

Warning Signs

• Blurred or fluctuating vision
• Dark spots or floaters
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Faded or washed-out colours
• Vision loss (often a late sign)

The Importance of Annual Screening

The challenge with diabetic eye disease is that early stages often have no symptoms. Annual screening with retinal imaging allows us to detect the earliest changes and intervene before vision is affected.

At Gaya Opticians, our diabetic eye screening uses high-resolution fundus photography and OCT imaging. If you have diabetes, schedule your annual screening today.