By not going in for regular eye check-ups, nearly half a million people suffering from diabetes risk blindness --- that's what has recently been pointed out by the charity Diabetes UK!

As per a recent warning by the charity, most of the diabetics give yearly eye checks a miss; with the result that diabetic retinopathy has been found to one of the leading causes of blindness among the working-age population.

Despite the fact that the number of diabetics at risk of blindness has witnessed a fall - to nearly three-quarters of a million in 2008 -, the charity is still concerned that most people do not go for proper eye checks.

With the charity also having revealed that diabetic retinopathy puts over 50,000 diabetic people in Scotland at risk of leg amputation, a spokesman said that in as many as 90 percent of the diabetics' cases, blindness could have been avoided is it had been "identified early enough and treated appropriately."

Noting that people with diabetes must ensure they are receiving 15 key services that help them avail the care they need, Barbara Young - CEO at Diabetes UK - said that the charity "wants people to use the checklist and ask for the standards of care that have been recommended by expert bodies and patients across the UK. With the right care and education, there is no reason why people with diabetes shouldn't live long and healthy lives"!