Diabetic Eye exam – Vision Plaza

Your optometrist in Burleson, TX, offers a diabetic exam for diabetic retinopathy. Like other diseases, early detection plays a large role in positive outcomes. You can request a diabetic exam at any time simply by contacting Vision Plaza. But it’s also helpful to know that diabetic retinopathy doesn’t happen quickly. It progresses slowly over time, and plenty of early signs indicate that this may be happening to your eyes. Here are some things you can look out for at home:

Sparkles in Vision

Sparkles look like little flashes of bright light, and they’re a common early sign of developing diabetic retinopathy, even if they are temporary.

Poor Night Vision

If you notice that it’s harder to see at night or that it takes longer for your eyes to adjust when the lighting changes to dark, you should get a diabetic eye exam.

Temporary Blindness

In rare instances, a person may experience fleeting, temporary blindness. This is a frightening symptom that you should pay attention to since it’s an early sign of diabetic retinopathy.

Blurry Vision

Even if you need corrective eyewear, you may notice increased blurry vision or problems with your eye prescription no longer working as it should. Increased blurry vision is a common early sign of diabetic retinopathy and shouldn’t be ignored.

Causes of Diabetic Retinopathy

Certain risk factors make it more likely that a person will develop diabetic retinopathy as time goes on. Knowing these risk factors and possibly avoiding them may improve your odds of escaping this sight-threatening disease. Risk factors include:

excess alcohol consumption
obesity
unmanaged diabetes
poorly controlled high blood pressure
chronic high cholesterol
fewer doctor and optometric visits
excess sugar consumption
low-nutrient diet

Importance of Early Detection

Early detection through regular eye exams allows for timely treatment, which can significantly reduce the risk of blindness. Treatments may include more effective blood sugar management, laser treatment, medication injected into the eyes, or surgery in more advanced cases. These interventions aim to stop or slow the progression of damage to the retina.

Have you noticed any of the early signs of diabetic retinopathy listed above? If so, you should get a diabetic exam in Burleson, TX, as soon as possible. Contact Vision Plaza today to book an appointment.

Diabetes is a difficult disease for anyone to manage, particularly because it can have such wide-ranging consequences. From head to toe, people with it have to consider the consequences of numerous decisions they make throughout the course of the day. While your eye health may not be the first thing on your mind, though, it is worth keeping on your radar. Ideally, you should have an annual diabetic eye exam, and we’ll tell you why it’s worth taking the precaution.

Early Stages Don’t Always Have Signs

The earliest stages of certain eye disorders don’t always make themselves known. If you have a diabetes-related issue, you may not experience any pain, discomfort, or problems with your vision. A diabetic eye exam in Burleson, TX will go a couple of layers deeper than a regular eye exam, so you can be certain that your eyes are doing just fine.

Eye Exams Check for Multiple Conditions

An eye doctor in Burleson, TX will check your eyes for universal conditions, like glaucoma or cataracts. They’ll also look for things like diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the blood vessels of the retina. Whether you have Type I or Type II diabetes, your odds of developing this condition are relatively high (even if it takes a while to manifest). Around 80% of people who have had diabetes for two decades or more will develop retinopathy.

Diabetic Exams in Burleson

The difference between a regular eye and a diabetic one comes down to how the doctor processes your eye health. People with diabetes may have different reactions to threats than those without.

During the exam, a doctor or specialist will look carefully at the blood vessels with the help of eye drops. Once your pupils are dilated, they’ll be able to see how your blood vessels, optic nerves, and retina are all functioning together. If they see anything alarming, the next tests will involve anything from pressure tests to checking the cross-sections of your retina.

If you’re looking for a staff that understands the unique attributes of diabetes, Vision Plaza offers this service to patients who don’t want to take any chances. While a standard eye exam can reveal certain conditions, it’s important to go the extra step if you have diabetes.

Early Signs of Diabetic Retinopathy