Make Eye Care Part Of Your Diabetes Management Plan
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the body’s ability to produce or effectively use insulin. This can cause blood sugar to rise too high. Having unchecked high blood sugars can damage the eye over time.
Many diabetic eye diseases don’t have early signs and symptoms, making regular comprehensive eye exams a critical part of a diabetes management plan. Our optometrists are here to help protect your vision and keep your eyes as healthy as possible. Visit us for a diabetic eye exam.
Diabetes & Your Eyes
Diabetes can affect multiple parts of the body. Your eyes and your vision may also be vulnerable to diabetes complications.
The eye is filled with fluid and tiny blood vessels. Changes to your blood sugar levels can cause increased blood pressure and swelling of the eye’s tissues. Some people with diabetes notice blurred vision caused by this swelling when changing diabetes medication or tweaking their diabetes management plan. This symptom is often short-term and disappears when blood sugars stabilize.
Long-term damage can be caused when diabetes is left untended and blood sugar levels remain high over time. The blood vessels in the eye can become damaged or weakened, or new vessels can grow in place of the damaged ones. This can potentially lead to vision loss.
Common Diabetic Eye Conditions
Diabetic Eye Disease Symptoms
You can be your own best ally in the quest for good health and wellness. Monitoring your vision is key to helping fight diabetic eye diseases. Though diabetic eye problems often have no symptoms until the damage is in its later stages, possible symptoms can include:
- Burred or wavy vision
- Floaters & flashes
- Vision loss
- Dark spots in your field of vision
- Weak color vision
- Unstable, changing vision
These may point to diabetic eye disease, but can also be symptoms of other eye conditions. Regardless, if you notice anything amiss with your vision, it’s always wise to get in touch with your optometrist for an expert opinion.
Our Diabetic Eye Exams
Our doctors are prepared to meet the needs of their patients with diabetes. We use specialized equipment during our diabetic eye exams to ensure your eyes, including your retinas, are healthy.
These tests may require pupil dilation, which can leave you with some blurry vision and light sensitivity for a few hours post-exam. Pupil dilation allows more light into the eye, letting your optometrist see more of the eye’s inner workings.
Keep An Eye On Your Diabetes
Reduce your risk of diabetic eye disease by following the diabetes management plan laid out by your healthcare team and following the ABCs of diabetes management.
Lower your risk of vision problems with regular diabetic eye exams. Visit StylEyes to keep watch on your ocular health.