DC Diabetes Prevention and Control Program Answers to Diabetic Retinopathy Quiz
True. Retinopathy may cause vision loss or even blindness. It is the leading cause of new blindness among adults in the United States. If you catch problems early you can save your sight.
True. It is important to bring your high blood pressure down. High blood pressure can make your eye problems worse.
True. People with diabetes should schedule examinations by an ophthalmologist at least once a year. More frequent medical eye examinations may be necessary once diabetic retinopathy has been diagnosed.
False. Diabetic eye diseases refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of the disease. Diabetic eye diseases may include diabetic retinopathy, cataract, and glaucoma.
False. There are usually no symptoms of diabetic retinopathy in the early stages of the disease. You may never notice changes in your vision until the disease has progressed. A medical examination is the only way to find changes inside your eye.
False. Your eyes become dilated during the exam. The doctor uses drops to enlarge the pupils. This allows the health professional to see more of the inside of your eyes to check for signs of the disease.
False. Diabetic retinopathy can be treated by using laser surgery. A powerful beam of laser light is focused on the damaged retina to shrink the abnormal vessels.
True. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) has shown that better control of blood sugar levels slows the onset and the progression of diabetic retinopathy and lessens the need for laser surgery for severe retinopathy.
