· CDE Mehandi Sharma
What to Check Beyond Blood Sugar
Diabetes care is not only about glucose. Several other things need checking on their own schedule, and they are the ones most often missed — because nothing hurts and nobody asks.
| What | How often | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dilated eye exam | Every year | Damage is silent until advanced; early treatment cuts blindness risk by 95% |
| Urine albumin + kidney blood test | Every year | Kidney damage causes no symptoms early on |
| Foot examination | At least yearly; every visit if you have nerve damage | Loss of sensation hides injuries |
| Blood pressure | Every visit | Target usually below 140/90 mm Hg |
| Cholesterol | As advised | A statin is often recommended over 40 |
| HbA1c | At least twice a year | Your three-month average |
For Type 1 diabetes the eye and kidney checks start five years after diagnosis; for Type 2 they start at diagnosis, because Type 2 is often present for years before it is found.
Take the list with you. In a short appointment dominated by glucose, the practical way to get these done is to ask directly: "When were my eyes, kidneys and feet last checked?" It is a reasonable question and it changes what happens in the room.
Two more worth raising if they apply: fatty liver, if a scan has ever mentioned it, and sexual health, which is common, treatable and almost never brought up.
Sources
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Diabetic Eye Disease
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Diabetic Kidney Disease
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Diabetes and Foot Problems
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Diabetes, Heart Disease, & Stroke