What's the earliest way to test for Type 2 diabetes? It could be with an eye exam.
Here's why. High resolution images like this one give ophthalmologist Dr. Alan Lacoste a unique look inside the entire body.
"By looking into the eyes we can see the blood vessels, so there's really nowhere else on our body where you can just visibly look at the blood vessels," said Lacoste.
Lacoste says that by examining the retina at the back of the eye, he can often times detect undiagnosed diabetes.
"One of the first things that you see are areas of bleeding right outside the blood vessels," said Lacoste.
This condition is called "diabetic retinopathy." Lacoste says it needs to be taken seriously.
"Even with all our technologies and abilities to treat it, more people go blind from diabetes than any other condition," said Lacoste.
Laser surgery can help prevent further vision loss, but it's not a cure, so early detection is key, especially for those at high risk.
"With the increased diagnosis of diabetes in our population, it's critically important that everyone have a complete eye exam once they're past 45 years of age every year," said Lacoste.
And this exam should come earlier if you have a family history of the disease.
Lacoste says if current trends continue, the number of diabetic retinopathy cases will double by 2050.
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