Rochdale optician supports World Diabetes Day

Specsavers in Rochdale is hoping to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye examinations to detect diabetes in support of World Diabetes Day.

Specsavers Rochdale store director, Peter Holt, said: “Although this is a global awareness day, diabetes is very much an issue in the UK. People with diabetes are 20 times more at risk of going blind than someone without the condition.

“Up to 40% of the 2.8 million people in the UK who currently have diabetes have some degree of optical damage, known as retinopathy. However, if retinopathy is detected early and treated then blindness can be prevented in 90% of cases. Here at our store we use a fundus camera to take a digital photograph of the back or the eye, which allows us to monitor the smallest of changes.

“We also want to raise awareness that an eye examination can detect signs of diabetes among people who don't even realise they have it, which is why we are urging everyone to have an eye test at least every two years.”

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has increased by more than 15,000 in the last year alone to 2.8 million, meaning that one in 20 of the population is currently being treated for diabetes. The awareness day aims to dispel some of the myths surrounding the condition.

World Diabetes Day is on Sunday (14 November 2010).