Eye Conditions That People with Diabetes Should Get Checked For
At Tres Vision Group, we always emphasize the importance of regular eye care to our patients with diabetes. Diabetes can lead to several eye conditions that, if left untreated, may result in vision loss. However, with regular eye exams, we can detect and treat these diseases in their earliest stages. Let’s explore the different conditions you should know about as a person with diabetes.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease. Long-term high blood glucose often causes vascular damage, and the blood vessels in the eyes are often the first to suffer. This damage causes inner eye swelling, leaking, or even blockages.
In the early stages, tightly controlling your blood glucose is the best way to prevent your diabetic retinopathy from progressing to its more severe (proliferative) stage. If the disease progresses, you may need advanced treatments like laser therapy, anti-VEGF injections, or vitrectomy surgery.
However, early detection can prevent significant vision loss.
Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
Diabetic macular edema (DME) can develop in people with diabetic retinopathy. It happens when fluid builds up in the macula. This part of your retina allows for sharp central vision. With DME, the extra fluid disrupts central vision, although side vision is generally unaffected. DME can prevent reading, seeing your phone, and driving.
The good news is that DME is often preventable with early diagnostic testing. Once you’re diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, we treat your condition to help prevent DME. If you have DME, you still have treatment options like laser therapy and injections.
Cataracts
Having diabetes increases your risk of cataracts, a condition in which the eye lens grows milky white and becomes blurry. People with diabetes are more likely to develop eye lens deposits that lead to cataracts, which experts believe is due to prolonged high blood glucose levels.
Cataract screening is an important part of your eye exams. You can’t see cataracts in the early stages, and they may not cause symptoms for years. But we can detect them early and help prevent progression. Cataract surgery is a safe, effective, permanent solution if you develop cataracts that disrupt your vision.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma refers to eye diseases in which the optic nerve (the main nerve involved in vision) is damaged. This usually happens due to increased eye pressure. With diabetes, blood vessel damage can affect blood flow in the eye and increase eye pressure, leading to glaucoma.
We use the state-of-the-art Humphrey Field Analyzer II to screen for glaucoma during comprehensive eye exams painlessly. The test pinpoints glaucoma early so you can start effective treatments like eye drops or advanced surgery to preserve your eyesight.
Schedule Your Diabetic Eye Exam in Melbourne
Don’t wait until symptoms worsen. Contact us online or call our office at (321) 984-3200 to make an appointment in our Melbourne, Merritt Island, or Suntree office.