Early Detection Saves Sight: The Importance of Regular Eye Exams for Diabetic Retinopathy
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, taking the time to go to the eye doctor can be challenging. However, keeping up with your regular eye exams is crucial, especially if you have diabetes. A serious condition like diabetic retinopathy can cause significant vision loss, and early detection can potentially save your sight. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?
If you have any type of diabetes — type 1, type 2, or gestational — you’re at risk for diabetic retinopathy. Over time, too much sugar in the blood can damage your retina, causing blurry vision, floating spots in your vision, or even blindness.
Just like other parts of your body, your eyes have blood vessels. The damage to your eyes begins when sugar causes changes to the blood vessels in your retinas, leading to blocked blood vessels that leak fluid or bleed. Diabetic retinopathy can also cause other conditions like diabetic macular edema and neovascular glaucoma.
Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms and Treatment
Early symptoms of diabetic retinopathy are mild and often nonexistent. You may notice slight changes in your vision, like trouble reading. As the disease progresses, the blood vessels in your retina will start to bleed into the vitreous (gel-like fluid that fills your eye). At this point, you may see floating spots or streaks that look like cobwebs.
Treatment options include injections, laser treatments, and eye surgery. It’s important to note that treatment can’t undo the damage that’s already been done to your vision, but it can prevent it from getting worse.
Preventing Diabetic Retinopathy
Because you may not realize you have diabetic retinopathy until your vision is permanently damaged, you’ll want to take steps to prevent the disease. One way to do so is to keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range.
Additionally, it’s vital to keep up with your regular eye exams. If an ophthalmologist notices signs of diabetic retinopathy during a routine appointment, they can begin treating it immediately. This can keep vision loss to a minimum, saving your sight in the long term. The sooner you’re diagnosed and treated, the better your treatment outcome will be.
Schedule Your Eye Exam Today
If you have diabetes, preventing diabetic retinopathy starts with seeing a retina specialist. At the Retina Group of Florida, our expert team can effectively diagnose and treat eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy. For more information or to schedule an appointment at one of our conveniently located facilities, contact us today.