Diabetes is a common disease and has important implications for the short term and long term health of sufferers.

Fluctuations in blood sugar can cause changes in the focussing of the crystalline lens within the eye and cause temporary visual blurring, particularly if diabetic control is poor. Diabetes can also cause cataracts in young people, or accelerate the development of cataract in older people.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the commonest causes of blindness in the UK in people between the ages of 30-65, and 12% of people who are registered blind and partially sighted each year have diabetic eye disease. At any one time up to 10% of people with diabetes will have retinopathy requiring medical follow up or treatment.

Tight control of diabetes can reduce the risk of retinopathy by 60% in type I (insulin dependent) and 40% in type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, and will also reduce the risk of other diabetic complications.

Moorfields Private looks after the needs of patients with all types of diabetes-related eye conditions. Please contact us directly to find out more about how our world-famous expertise and experience can help.

Contact Moorfields Private about Diabetic Retinopathy>