Diabetic Eye Exam: Why it Matters
Living with diabetes can be overwhelming as you navigate the whole-body effects and your efforts to care for the condition. While those with diabetes certainly need to monitor their blood sugar, other health conditions are equally crucial to watch. For example, did you know that the primary concern for eye health in people with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy?
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in adults, is a condition that develops in the retina, the light-sensitive portion of your eyes. The elevated blood sugar levels and extra fluid that result from diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels in your eyes, including those around the retina. If diabetes is not managed correctly, the damaged vessels swell and leak fluid into your eyes, causing scarring and other problems. As the damage worsens, your eyesight becomes blurry and less intense, which can lead to vision loss.
Diagnosis
The only way for diabetic retinopathy to be monitored or diagnosed is through a diabetic eye exam. Therefore, your eye exams are a critical part of your care plan to manage your diabetes. During your exam, expect to have your vision and retina assessed. Your ophthalmologist dilates your pupils and uses a slit lamp to see a magnified view of your retinas. While looking, they also screen for signs of cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.
The longer you live with diabetes, the more likely you are to develop complications of diabetic retinopathy. So, making lifestyle changes to help you manage your diabetes is critical.
Symptoms
At first, you may not notice any symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, or the symptoms may be exceptionally mild. Over time, you may begin to experience these symptoms:
floaters, or dots and dark strings, in your field of vision
dark or empty areas in your field of vision
blurry vision
difficulty focusing
vision changes that seem to fluctuate
altered color vision
partial or total vision loss
Treatment Options
Early detection is vital when it comes to addressing diabetic eye diseases. One option your ophthalmologist might provide is a medication that slows the growth of abnormal vessels. A second option is laser treatments to remove existent abnormal vessels. Finally, surgical options, such as a vitrectomy or lens replacement, are available to help improve your vision.
Nearly 40% of people with diabetes have some degree of diabetic retinopathy. At Advanced Laser and Cataract Center, our team of ophthalmologists offers you the care you need to protect your vision and care for diabetic eye diseases.
When choosing an eye care specialist, you want to experience advanced technology and excellent patient care. Advanced Laser and Cataract Center of Oklahoma focuses on providing you with the latest technology for your eye care needs in the safest way possible. We also offer complete eye exams for medical conditions, including glaucoma, dry eye, diabetes, macular degeneration, and droopy eye lids. Our team of doctors is available to help you with your eye exam needs, so book an appointment with us today.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/diabetic-eye-exam#symptoms
https://www.retinaspecialists.com/blog/why-your-regular-diabetic-eye-exam-matters
