Diabetic Eye Specialist
Annual eye exams are important for general vision health but extra important for those who have been diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Diabetes can cause a variety of health complications, including the possibility of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy does not usually appear until 5 years after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes but may already be present when type 2 diabetes is diagnosed.
Elevated glucose levels can cause swelling in the lens of the eye blurring vision. If blood sugar is left unmanaged, diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the retina. As diabetic eye disease progresses, you may develop the following symptoms: blurred vision, straight lines that appear wavy, dark spots in your vision, reduced color vision, increased eye floaters, flashes of light, and vision loss. However, effects of diabetes in the eyes are asymptomatic until development is severe. Irreversible damage can be caused before you even know your eyes have been impacted by diabetic eye diseases. For this reason, it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist once a year to ensure the health of your eyes.
A diabetic eye specialist is an ophthalmologist that specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating eye diseases. During a comprehensive exam, your ophthalmologist can offer a variety of tests, specifically to check the health of your retina. A diabetic eye test would include dilating the pupils and possibly the use of fundus photography to document the condition of the retina. Diabetic eye specialists also use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to study the retina in greater detail.
If it is determined you have diabetic eye disease, your diabetic eye specialist may offer treatment in the form of glucose management, anti-VEGF medication or steroids, or surgery options including laser and vitrectomy. The goal of these treatment options is to stop the growth of or remove abnormal blood vessels.
For more information on how one of our board-certified diabetic eye specialists can help you, call our office at 602-242-4928 or book your appointment online at WEBSITE. Associated Retina Consultants cares about your vision and is committed to providing you with full service optical care that includes personalized attention, the latest state-of-the-art technology, and quality treatment options to ensure the health of your eyes while optimizing your vision.