Diabetic Exams in South Hill, Chester & Colonial Heights

How does diabetes affect the eyes?

Diabetes can lead to serious problems in your eyes if you don’t control your blood sugar. Most diabetic eye damage is related to nerve damage or blood vessel problems. The most common eye diseases among people with diabetes are:

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy occurs with damage to the blood vessels in the retina at the back of your eye.

Diabetic macular edema

Diabetic macular edema occurs when the macula (which controls central vision) swells. This condition often occurs in people who also have diabetic retinopathy.

Cataracts

Cataracts are clouding within the eye lenses. Though most people eventually get cataracts as they age, people with diabetes are more likely to develop them earlier in life because of high blood sugar levels.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma occurs if the fluids inside your eyes accumulate and pressure your optic nerve. Your risk of glaucoma increases if you have diabetes.

All of these conditions can lead to partial or complete vision loss, so it’s particularly important to maintain good eye health if you have diabetes.

How is diabetic eye disease diagnosed?

Legacy Eye Care has the industry’s most advanced equipment, including the Triton™ Swept Source OCT machine, which performs detailed retinal scans. They use OCT imaging, eye pressure tests, and other advanced methods to view and evaluate all parts of your eye, including the deepest layers.

In this way, the team can often make a diagnosis long before you first experience symptoms of diabetic eye disease. In some cases, an optometrist is the first to recognize the early signs of diabetes (often even before you’re diagnosed by your primary care provider).

After diagnosis, the team at Legacy Eye Care continues to monitor your disease through advanced imaging and testing.

When do I need eye exams if I have diabetes?

If you have diabetes, you need comprehensive eye exams regularly. People with diabetes may experience fairly rapid worsening of some eye diseases, depending on their blood sugar. At Legacy Eye Care, team recommends that you come in for comprehensive eye exams every six months or more often depending on your condition (rather than once a year).

If you develop any new eye issues, like eye pain, vision loss, fluctuating vision, eye allergies, dry eyes, or anything else that concerns you, the Legacy Eye Care team is ready to help. They’ll prescribe a personalized treatment plan and can work together with your primary care provider to manage your disease and improve your eye health.

If you need diabetic eye care, you can find treatment at Legacy Eye Care by calling or booking online for the nearest office in South Hill, Chester, or Colonial Heights, Virginia.