1. Type 2 Diabetes Slideshow Pictures
2. Diabetes and Foot Problems Slideshow
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Medical Author:

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD, is a U.S. board-certified Pediatric Endocrinologist. After taking his baccalaureate degree from Yale College, receiving his doctoral degree and residency training in pediatrics at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), he completed fellowship training in pediatric endocrinology at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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A person with diabetes should be checked regularly for early signs of diabetic complications. A health care professional can order some of these tests; for others, the patient should be referred to a specialist.

• The patient should have their eyes checked at least once a year by an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) to screen for diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness.
• The patient's urine should be checked for protein (microalbumin) on a regular basis, at least one to two times per year. Protein in the urine is an early sign of diabetic nephropathy, a leading cause of kidney failure.
• Sensation in the legs should be checked regularly using a tuning fork or a monofilament device. Diabetic neuropathy is a leading cause of lower extremity ulcers in individuals with diabetes, which frequently lead to amputation of the feet or legs.
• The health care professional should check the feet and lower legs of the patient at every visit for cuts, scrapes, blisters, or other lesions that could become infected. Adults with diabetes should check the soles of their feet and their legs daily with a hand-held mirror, either by themselves or with the assistance of a relative or caretaker.
• The patient should be screened regularly for conditions that may contribute to heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

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