Why Are Diabetic Eye Exams Important?

Diabetes not only affects your body, but it can also do profound damage to your eyes. It increases the risk of you getting eye diseases and conditions like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. If you do not get regular diabetic eye exams, you may not be able to detect your vision deteriorating. The early stages of conditions like diabetic retinopathy show no symptoms or change of vision.

 

You should go for not just a regular eye checkup but also a special one for diabetic people. This is because there are specialized tests that the doctor will do during a diabetic eye exam. These tests are not part of the normal, regular checkup.

 

Common Eye Diseases Among Diabetic People

During a diabetic eye exam, doctors normally check for three diseases. These are diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.

Cataracts

Cataracts cause the lens to be cloudy. It develops slowly over a period before affecting your vision, making it blurry. It is a likely condition to occur if you have diabetes.

 

Glaucoma

Glaucoma happens when there is abnormally high pressure in the eye. This pressure causes damage to the optic nerve, which is vital for vision. It causes loss of vision and blindness.

 

Diabetic Retinopathy

Of the three, diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness. It causes the small blood vessels that are in your retina to get weak and leak blood. There are no symptoms when this starts happening. That is why it is important to have regular checkups.

 

Diabetic Eye Exam

You cannot detect some of the features of diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases with a regular eye exam. To get a better look inside your eyes, doctors will need to dilate your eyes. For this, they use eye drops.

 

Doctors can also use a slit lamp to check the cornea. The instrument is in front of you as they use the microscope part and a tiny lens. This helps them view the retina clearly, as it is at the back of your eye. This is how doctors determine retinal detachment. The exam will also include checking for glaucoma and cataracts.

 

Tips for Taking Care of Your Eyes

The longer you live with diabetes, the more likely you are to develop these complications. When you have diabetes, you need to take extra care of your eyes. This will mean that you will have to:

 

• Get a diabetic eye exam at least once a year
   

• Ensure that you keep your doctor’s appointment
   

• If you see any spots, red fog, or a sudden change in vision, see a doctor immediately
   

• Talk to your doctor about the best practices for keeping your eyes healthy
   

• Keep your blood sugar at a healthy level
  
   

As you can see, diabetic eye exams are important. They keep your eyes healthy and detect the above conditions sooner. This helps you keep your vision and enjoy life.

To learn more about diabetic eye exams, contact Eye Care North at our office in Cave Creek, Arizona. You can call (480) 781-4446 today to schedule an appointment.