Get an eye-ground exam once when diabetes is diagnosed, then at the interval your doctor sets, and have your feet checked every year

High value
Evidence A
Buys life
Costs a little
Takes minutes
Some willpower

In plain words

Diabetes damages the back of the eye and the feet, and you feel almost nothing until the damage reaches blindness or sores. Caught early, it can still be treated. With type 2 diabetes, get a dilated eye-ground exam at the time of diagnosis. With type 1, start 5 years after onset. If one or two exams were clear and your blood sugar is on target, the interval can stretch to once every one or two years. Have your feet checked every year.

Cost: A dilated eye-ground exam costs tens to hundreds of yuan. A foot exam is usually part of an outpatient visit and costs nothing extra. The hard part is remembering to go when your eyes and feet feel fine.
What you get: Diabetes damage to the back of the eye is called retinopathy, and damage to the feet is called diabetic foot. You feel almost nothing from either before something goes wrong. Caught early, they can still be treated. By the time you cannot see or your feet have sores, it is late.
Notes: With type 2 diabetes the exam is needed at the time of diagnosis, while with type 1 it starts 5 years after onset. The difference is that with type 2 the sugar has often been quietly high for several years. If one or two exams were clear and your blood sugar is on target, the interval can stretch to once every 1 to 2 years. If feeling in your feet has become duller, look at the soles of your feet yourself every day, using a mirror if needed.
Evidence grade: A : Specific numbers from meta-analyses, large cohorts or randomized trials; for law and policy, the statute or official text.
Sources: 美国糖尿病学会 (2026). 糖尿病诊疗标准 2026·第 12 章视网膜病变、神经病变与足部护理. Diabetes Care：「People with type 2 diabetes should have an initial dilated and comprehensive eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist at the time of the diabetes diagnosis.」「Adults with type 1 diabetes should have an initial dilated and comprehensive eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist 5 years after the onset of diabetes.」「If there is no evidence of retinopathy from one or more annual eye exams and glycemic indicators are within the goal range, then screening every 1–2 years may be considered.」「Perform a comprehensive foot evaluation at least annually to identify risk factors for ulcers and amputations.」https://doi.org/10.2337/dc26-S012

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 16, tip 7. This section is about health and medicines. It is general information, not a substitute for a doctor’s diagnosis or prescription. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer