WE could be seeing a lot more preventable eye diseases come into focus if left unchecked, Ballarat optometrist Rowena Fuller warns.
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Ms Fuller said her clinic had been really busy with a lot of people catching up on regular checks they missed during the pandemic, but the concern was people who were still holding out on an eye test - particularly those who had diabetes.
Specsavers has been rallying awareness for the sight-ending risks in diabetic retinopathy with almost six per cent of Ballarat residents living with diabetes types one and two.
Ms Fuller said one in three people with diabetes experienced sight issues but this could be avoided with early detection.
Regional people tend to do a lot more driving...loss of sight is an issue with devastatingly huge flow-on effects for independence.
- Rowena Fuller, optometrist
"For most of the past two years we have not supposed to see many preventative patients in checks and this has been escalating to a point...It's hard to undo the damage already done," Ms Fuller said.
"Realising that Ballarat in particular, like other regional areas in Australia, does have higher rates of diabetes and this can have big impacts.
"Regional people tend to do a lot more driving and the more they need to maintain a standard for eyesight, the more important prevention is.
"A lot of diabetics we see are slightly older on rural or regional properties and loss of sight is an issue with devastatingly huge flow-on effects for independence."
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Diabetic retinopathy is one of Australia's leading causes of blindness and is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye. Early symptoms tend to go unnoticed, except in eye checks.
Men were a third more likely to be referred to an opthamologist with a diabetic concern, Specsavers data shows. Diabetic retinopathy can affect any age.
Ms Fuller said a lot of people did not realise the extent of health checks an optometrist could conduct - prescribing glasses was only part of the job. About five key diabetes effects could be detected in eye tests.
People living with diabetes can register at KeepSight, an eye check reminder from Diabetes Australia.
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