Diagnosing and Treating Diabetic Eye Diseases

To accurately diagnose diabetic eye diseases, you need to undergo a comprehensive eye examination. Diabetes is a condition that affects your body’s ability to use or produce insulin effectively. Your body needs to do so to control the levels of blood glucose or sugar. 
 

Too much blood glucose can lead to serious damage in several parts of your body. It can cause damage to your blood vessels, kidneys, heart, and even your eyes. According to the CDC, approximately 90 percent of vision loss due to diabetes is preventable. To prevent diabetic eye diseases, however, early detection is essential. 

What Is Diabetic Eye Disease?

This is a term applying to several eye conditions resulting from diabetes. These conditions include:

• Glaucoma.

• Diabetic retinopathy.

• Cataracts.

• Diabetic macular edema.

Therefore, if you have diabetes, you need to undergo critical, regular eye exams even before experiencing any signs and symptoms of vision loss. According to some studies, about 60 percent of people with diabetes do not undergo the annual eye examinations their doctors recommend. 

Other Eye and Vision Conditions Related to Diabetes

Are you a diabetic? If you are not currently suffering from a form of diabetic eye disorder, your condition can still lead to vision problems. For example, if your blood glucose levels change quickly and drastically and it can affect the shape of your eyes’ lenses. This will likely lead to blurry vision. 
 

Before having a prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, you should find ways to control your blood sugar levels. Doing so will ensure that you get the correct prescription. Furthermore, diabetes is a risk factor for other eye conditions such as central retinal vein occlusion and branch retinal vein occlusion. 

Diagnosing Diabetic Eye Diseases

Often, diabetic eye diseases do not have early warning signs. This can make the process of diagnosing them quite tricky. The only way to accurately diagnose them is through a comprehensive eye exam that looks for early signs and symptoms. 

Common Signs and Symptoms

• Changes in the retinal blood vessels.

• Leaking blood vessels.

• Damaged nerve tissue.

• Fatty, pale deposits on the retina.

• Macular swelling or edema.

To diagnose conditions effectively, eye doctors recommend a comprehensive eye exam that includes various procedures. These include optical coherence tomography, near and distance vision acuity tests, fluorescein angiography test, tonometry test, and a dilated eye examination. 

Treatment

If you have some form of diabetic eye disease, treatment will largely depend on the type of condition you have and its severity. The treatment aims to stop or slow down the condition’s progression. 
 

If you are suffering from mild or moderate diabetic retinopathy, for example, you may not need immediate treatment. However, your eye doctor will closely monitor your condition to determine the right time to begin treatment. 
 

Therefore, it is essential to work closely with your doctor and follow every recommendation. Your diabetes doctor will also recommend ways to improve your disease management. If you have advanced macular edema or diabetic retinopathy, you will need immediate surgical treatment. Depending on your specific condition, treatment options may include photocoagulation, vitrectomy, panretinal photocoagulation, or the injection of medicine into your eyes. 

To learn more about diabetic eye diseases and their treatment, visit Coers Family Eyecare, PC at our office in Columbus, Indiana. You can also call 812-408-8400 to schedule an appointment today.