Diabetic Retinopathy Specialist

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is a disease that affects the retina, the layer of tissue in the back of the eye that receives light to form visual images.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by prolonged periods of high glucose (sugar) in the body, which can weaken and damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina. This is why diabetics are highly vulnerable to getting diabetic retinopathy.

When the blood vessels are damaged, symptoms occur that affect your eyesight.

What are the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?

If you have diabetic retinopathy, you’ll notice changes in your vision. Symptoms include:

• Blurry vision
• Poor night vision
• Floaters
• Black spots in your vision
• Loss of the ability to see colors

Symptoms typically appear in both eyes. Seeing your ophthalmologist at Retina Consultants Ltd. regularly can help you prevent diabetic retinopathy from ever happening to you.

How is diabetic retinopathy diagnosed?

A comprehensive eye exam is the best way to diagnose diabetic retinopathy. Your ophthalmologist places drops in your eyes to dilate your pupils, allowing your doctor to see inside your eye. The drops can make your eyes very sensitive to light and cause blurry vision. These side effects last only a few hours.

Your doctor looks for the following during your exam:

• Retinal detachment
• Optic nerve abnormalities
• New scar tissue
• Swelling in the retina
• Abnormal blood cells
• Blood in the retina
• Bleeding in the center of the eye

The exam also includes a vision test and a glaucoma test that measures the pressure inside your eye. In addition, your doctor determines if there is any evidence of cataracts.

How can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

Vision loss can be stopped and might even be restored if you control your blood sugar levels.

Other ways to prevent diabetic retinopathy include:

• Scheduling regular visits with your ophthalmologist to detect problems
• Seeing your ophthalmologist promptly if changes in your eyes or sight occur
• Keeping your blood pressure and kidneys function healthy
• Sticking with treatments prescribed for you for diabetic retinopathy

If you have diabetes, be sure to schedule a routine eye exam at Retina Consultants Ltd. by reaching out to an office near you or use the online booking tool.