An Opthalmologist is a specialist in the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye. You should seek out a specialist in this field if unexplained visual problems, such as spots or cobwebs in your field of vision, blurring or distortion, blind spots, eye pain, persistent redness, trouble reading small text or difficulty distinguishing familiar objects, increased pressure within the eye (which could be a warning sign of glaucoma), any retinal abnormalities, or  leaking of blood vessels that supply the retina (which leads to retinopathy the main cause of blindness in people with diabetes). An Opthalmologist will help construe the reasoning behind your symptoms and help fix the issue before further damage is done.

A Podiatrist is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of the feet and their ailments. As far as the feet are concerned, people with diabetes can have severe, even life-threatening foot problems.  This can happen because of a snowball effect that diabetes can cause to the circulatory and nervous systems of the body. Essentially, diabetes can cause decreased blood flow to the feet, low healing potential, low to no capability to fight infections of the foot, and numbness of the feet. Every diabetic should have a foot doctor, and patients who are numb in the feet should see their foot doctor on a regular basis, often 5-6 times a year. These problems are preventable however they are not inevitable. Regular check-ups with a podiatrist can prevent these problems.

A Diabetic Educator is a healthcare professionals who specialize in teaching patients about diabetes and how to self-manage the disease. Diabetes is a complex disease that requires daily self-management – making healthy food choices, staying physically active, monitoring your blood sugar and taking medications as prescribed. It is also important to talk regularly with your diabetes care team to problem solve, reduce risks for complications and cope with lifestyle changes. Successful self-management will help you feel better and can reduce your chance of developing complications including heart disease, dental disease, eye disorders, kidney disease, nerve damage and lower leg amputation. Diabetes is also a very personal disease. Upon being diagnosed, it’s not uncommon to feel a certain amount of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear about how your lifestyle may change. Fear that you will experience life-threatening complications