Norfolk Ophthalmologists Partner with Local ADA for Defeat Diabetes Month

NORFOLK, VA--(Marketwired - Apr 19, 2017) - April is Defeat Diabetes Month, and, to raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis for the medical condition, the doctors at Virginia Eye Consultants (VEC) have partnered with the Hampton Roads American Diabetes Association for a region-wide initiative called "2020 Vision to Stop Diabetes." This outreach program is intended to educate and test 20% of the high-risk population in Hampton Roads by the end of the year 2020.

Routine eye exams that include a diabetic screening can be vital for the early detection and prompt treatment of the disease, stress the VEC ophthalmologists. When left undiagnosed and untreated, diabetes and its related complications can lead to vision loss. For example, with diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels of the eye can become blocked or begin to leak, causing central vision obstruction or even blindness.

According to the Norfolk ophthalmologists, "Virginia Eye Consultants and the American Diabetes Association will visit workplaces throughout the Hampton Roads area and provide free eye screenings to help detect the early warning signs of diabetes." If a person exhibits signs of being at high-risk for diabetes, the on-site team will schedule follow-up eye appointments and communicate with the individual's primary care physician to keep him or her informed of the follow-up.

To further show their support for Defeat Diabetes Month, the VEC doctors are sponsoring the 2017 Hampton Roads, Virginia Tour de Cure: a bicycle race fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association held on the 29^th of April. They encourage those in the local community to get involved by signing up for the race or helping raise money for the great cause.

About Virginia Eye Consultants

The board-certified eye doctors at Virginia Eye Consultants have offered comprehensive eye care for patients in the Hampton Roads area for over 50 years. The fellowship-trained ophthalmologists are committed to utilizing state-of-the-art technology for the safest, most effective LASIK and eye care procedures possible. VEC has five different locations that provide a wide range of services, including cataract surgery, dry eye treatment, corneal transplantation, LASIK, and diabetic screenings. The doctors are available for interview upon request.

For more information about Virginia Eye Consultants, please visit virginiaeyeconsultants.com and facebook.com/vec2020.

To view the original source of this press release, click here: https://www.virginiaeyeconsultants.com/news/norfolk-ophthalmologists-partner-with-local-ada-for-defeat-diabetes-month