Keep Your Child’s Eyes Healthy: Diabetic Retinopathy Screening
Is my child at risk for diabetic retinopathy?
Yes, all people with diabetes are at risk.
What do I need to know about retinopathy?
- It is changes in the blood vessels in the back of the eyes.
- It is the leading cause of blindness.
- Finding it early and treating it can prevent blindness.
What can be done to find retinopathy?
- Dilated eye exams.
- Dilated eye exams should be done:
- EVEN if your child’s vision is fine.
- Within 1 year of diagnosis.
- Every year, after your child has had diabetes for 5 years, or has started puberty.
- A dilated eye exam is NOT a vision test.
- The pediatrician, nurse practitioner and the school nurse do vision tests. They are not able to do the dilated eye exam.
Will my child have symptoms?
- No, not in the early stages.
- DO NOT wait until your child has eye problems to have the dilated eye exam.
Who do I make an appointment with to have this eye exam?
Any eye doctor trained to do a dilated eye exam.
If you have any questions, please call us.
Reviewed by: CHOP Diabetes Center for Children
Date: March 2010
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