Watch out

for your vision!

If you have diabetes, read this story.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

National Eye Institute

Watch out for your vision!

If you have diabetes, read this story.

National Eye Health Education Program,

National Eye Institute 

National Institutes of Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Hello Carmen! Are you 

buying fruit today? No, Jose. I’m going to the eye 

doctor to get my yearly eye exam. 

I don’t want to lose my vision 

because of diabetic eye disease.

Can you lose your eyesight? 

I also have diabetes! Really? And no one has ever told 

you about diabetic eye disease?
No, my doctors have only said 

that I should follow a special 

diet and control my blood 

sugar levels. 

I can’t believe it! Diabetic eye 

disease is quite serious. It is a 

group of eye diseases that can 

cause blindness.

Now you’ve got me worried. May 

I give you a ride to the doctor’s 

office? I would like to learn more 

about diabetic eye disease.
Does this disease 

cause blindness 

in everyone with 

diabetes?

Not always. If the disease is 

detected and treated early, 

blindness can be prevented.
How long have you had diabetes?

For many years now. But Dr. Rivera, my family doctor, 

takes the time to explain everything about my condition 

to me. He is the one who recommended Dr. Martinez.

I would like to see what the eye exam is like.

May I come with you to your appointment?

Of course! You are going to like Dr. Martinez. 

He is a good eye doctor.
Hello Carmen! What a pleasure 

to see you! How is the family? Fine, thank you, Dr. Martinez. Let me 

introduce you to Jose Ramirez. He has 

diabetes too and would like to learn 

more about diabetic eye disease. 

Come in, Jose! It’s 

nice to meet you.
Now I am going to put drops in her eyes. You 

know what, Jose? These eye drops do not hurt. 

They only cause blurry vision for a couple of 

hours. The drops open the pupil so that I can 

look inside the eye with a special light. 

Diabetic eye disease often 

has no symptoms or pain. 

A person may not realize 

that he or she is going 

blind until it is too late.
Are Carmen’s eyes okay? Yes. Carmen is very careful. 

She comes at least once a 

year to get this exam. 

Doctor, could that 

disease happen to me? 

Could I end up blind? 

Everyone with diabetes is at risk 

of developing diabetic eye disease. 

The dilated eye exam allows us to 

detect the disease early, before it 

affects the eye. We can treat the 

disease and prevent blindness.
Doctor, I’d like to make 

an appointment. Yes, of course. How about next Monday 

at this time?

Yes. Thank you very much, 

doctor.
Hello, Jose! How did it go 

with Dr. Martinez?

It went well. But he said that I should 

get a dilated eye exam at least once a 

year, just in case I get diabetic eye 

disease later on. 

I am so glad that your eyes are fine! 

I have a friend with diabetes that 

never wanted to get a dilated eye 

exam because she said that if she 

ended up blind “it was destiny.” 

Little by little, she lost her vision. 
How terrible! I will never let that happen to me! I am 

going to get a dilated eye exam every year. Thanks to 

your advice, I might save my vision. 

You are welcome, Jose.
Diabetic eye disease is a 

group of eye diseases caused 

by diabetes. This disease 

includes damage in the blood 

vessels of the retina called 

diabetic retinopathy. It also 

includes cataract, which 

happen when the lens in the 

eye becomes cloudy and 

blurry. And glaucoma, an 

increase in the pressure of 

fluids inside the eye that can 

cause damage in the optic 

nerve and vision loss. 

Pupil:

The dark area in the 

center of the eye

Retina:

The back of the eye

Pupil

Parts of the eye

Lens

Optic

Nerve

Retina
Eye Exam Personal Record

This chart will help you to keep a record of your dilated eye 

exams. It will also be a reminder that you should get a dilated 

eye exam at least once a year. Write down the date and the 

result of the exam in each space. 

Date Result

To obtain more information about diabetic eye disease, write to:

National Eye Institute 

2020 Vision Place

Bethesda, MD 20892-3655

Website: http://www.nei.nih.gov

E-mail: 2020@nei.nih.gov
REMEMBER...

If you have diabetes, get a dilated eye exam 

at least once a year. 

Control blood sugar levels to delay the start 

and progression of diabetic eye disease.

There is effective treatment for diabetic 

eye disease.

NIH Publication No. 09-4032

Revised 8/09