Diabetic Exam
If you have diabetes, it’s important to take good care of your eyes. Diabetes, like other diseases such as hypertension, not only affects your major organs, it can sometimes cause vision loss, too. The best way to care for your eyes is to be proactive. This means scheduling regular checkups with your eyecare provider in Burleson, TX, for early detection and diagnosis of diabetes-related conditions.
What Happens During a Diabetic Eye Exam?
During a diabetic eye exam, your vision specialist will spend time looking at your retina and examining the tiny blood vessels that carry oxygen to it. To do this, they’ll use painless eye drops to dilate your pupils. This allows them to better see what’s going on with your retina, your optic nerve, and the nearby blood vessels. The eye drops take about 30 minutes to become fully effective, at which time your eye doctor can perform the examination.
If they see something that concerns them, they may perform additional tests, including tests that measure pressure changes within the eyes, tests that locate damaged blood vessels, or imaging tests that allow them to see cross-sections of your retina.
What Does a Diabetic Eye Exam Show?
A diabetic eye exam can alert you and your eye doctor to early signs of vision loss, at which time they can devise a treatment plan to prevent further deterioration. This type of eye exam can detect several eye disorders, including:
- Diabetic retinopathy — caused by damage to the blood vessels of the retina
- Glaucoma — caused by a series of conditions that damage the optic nerve
- Macular edema — caused by damage to the center of the retina, or macula
- Cataracts — caused by a cloudy film that develops over the lens of the eye
Without those extra tests performed during a diabetic eye exam, eye problems like these can go undetected. As a result, you can lose some or all of your vision. However, with early intervention and treatment, your eye doctor may be able to preserve the vision you have left.
Schedule Your Diabetic Eye Exam Today
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes, it’s time to schedule a diabetic eye exam. Vision Plaza offers excellence of care in routine and diabetic eye care in Burleson, TX. Our experienced eye professionals are always ready to perform the diagnostic tests needed to preserve your vision. And we’ll sit down with you to discuss options for treatment, if needed. Call today to schedule an appointment that’s convenient for you.
