2 in 5 Canadians Living with Diabetes Skip Annual Eye Exams

Thursday, October 30 2025 | 15 h 50 min | News

As Diabetes Awareness Month begins, new data from the Specsavers Canada Eyecare Report 2025 reveals a concerning trend: 38% of Canadians living with diabetes are not getting annual eye exams.

The findings, based on a national Angus Reid Group survey, highlight a critical gap in understanding the connection between diabetes and vision health. People living with diabetes are 25 times more likely to experience sight loss than the general population, and diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains the leading cause of new cases of legal blindness among Canadians aged 20–64, according to Diabetes Canada.

“Almost half of people with diabetes (47%) believe they would know if something was wrong with their vision,” said Naomi Barber, Clinical Services Director at Specsavers Canada. “This dangerous misconception means many are waiting for symptoms that may never come—until it’s too late.”

Barber encourages Canadians with diabetes to take three key steps to protect their sight:

1. Book your annual eye exam. Even if vision seems fine, annual comprehensive exams are the best defence against preventable vision loss.
2. Ask about OCT technology. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows optometrists to detect early retinal changes invisible through traditional exams. OCT scans are included as part of every standard comprehensive exam at Specsavers.
3. Know your coverage. Many Canadians with diabetes qualify for provincially covered annual eye exams, and extended health insurance may cover additional costs.

“Affordable, accessible eye care is essential for early detection,” added Barber. “An annual exam can make the difference between healthy vision and irreversible sight loss.”

Source: Specsavers

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!