WHAT IS A DIABETIC EYE EXAM?
A diabetic eye exam can be done during a routine eye exam. The main objective is for the doctor to examine the retina by either dilating the eyes or taking retinal images. During this process, the doctor will check for diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, glaucoma, and cataracts, all of which can be caused by diabetes. Vision can also be effected by diabetes resulting in an incorrect glasses prescription.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is an underlying condition that can arise due to uncontrolled diabetes. This can affect a person’s vision and eye health. This is caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the retina or the back of the eye. Too much sugar in your blood can lead to the blockage of the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina, cutting off its blood supply. This can affect people who have both type 1 and 2 diabetes and occasionally patients who have gestational diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetic Retinopathy
The longer you have uncontrolled diabetes, the more likely you are to develop these eye complications:
-Dark spots floater in vision (Floaters)
-Blurry vision
-Dark areas in vision
-Vision loss
-Fluctuating vision