Talking to patients about diabetes and eye health

Diabetes is a complex disease requiring the involvement of many health professionals. As a result, people with diabetes are faced with multiple appointments and multiple health messages to understand and make sense of. For example, blood sugar levels (and what is ideal), foot health (and warning signs), kidney checks and eye examinations. As eye care practitioners, we are faced with the challenge of trying to talk to patients – who are often without symptoms – about their vision in relation to their diabetes. We must encourage and support them to return for eye examinations and treatment (see page 68). Whenever diabetes patients come into our eye clinics, we can also support their overall health and diabetes treatment by offering suitable information, education and support. This is important as good diabetes control helps to slow down the progression of diabetic eye disease. Here are a few practical things we can do.