Diabetes is a systemic condition that can affect the body in many ways and can impact your vision and eye health. This means that diabetic eyes require special care and attention, so patients with diabetes should be undergoing a comprehensive eye exam at least once per year.
Your optometrist may suggest more frequent visits, depending on your unique vision and eye health needs.
When was your last diabetic eye exam? Book your next appointment today.
Did you know that a variety of serious systemic conditions, including early-stage diabetes, can be detected using a comprehensive eye exam? That’s just one more reason you should visit your optometrist regularly.
Diabetes can also increase your chances of developing several serious eye diseases and other conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts.
Diabetic retinopathy is a serious condition that occurs when the delicate blood vessels in the retina become damaged by diabetes. Nearly one-third of adults over the age of 40 with diabetes exhibit signs of diabetic retinopathy, which, if left untreated, can lead to permanent vision loss.
Glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve becomes damaged, disrupting communication between your eyes and your brain. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent vision loss. Individuals with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to develop glaucoma than individuals without diabetes. The most common form of glaucoma (open-angle glaucoma) is particularly dangerous because it rarely exhibits symptoms before permanent vision loss has occurred.
Cataracts are a normal part of the aging process, and occur when the eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy and opaque, impairing our vision. Patients with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to develop cataracts than patients without diabetes and are also more likely to develop cataracts at a younger age.
Diabetes can compromise your eye health and vision, so it’s vital that patients with this systemic condition have their eyes examined with extra care and attention. To ensure your eyes get the care they need, Vision Source D.C. Focus Eyecare Center offers medically-focused eye exams specifically tailored to the needs of diabetic eyes.
Just like all eye exams offered at Vision Source D.C. Focus Eyecare Center, we use a variety of advanced diagnostic techniques, including optos widefield imaging and the Rabin cone test.
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you should undergo a comprehensive eye exam at least once per year, even if your blood sugar is well controlled and you aren’t currently experiencing any health or vision problems.
For more information about how diabetes can impact your eye health and vision, please speak to your optometrist during your next diabetic eye exam.
Have been a patient for many years. Dr Garr is so approachable and great to work with. The staff is so friendly and helpful – it’s one of the rare places where I actually like going to a doctor’s appointment!
We’re located in Northwest D.C. to care for all your eye health needs.
Associates in Eyecare - Vision Source DC
