If you have diabetes, you have an increased risk of developing a host of complications, including something called diabetic retinopathy. This is an eye condition that can affect one or both eyes and lead to altered vision or vision loss. Your eyes can show signs of the condition before symptoms make themselves evident. Fallas Family Vision in McDonough wants to stress the importance of having regular eye exams by an eye doctor to identify the condition before it gets worse.
Your Eyes and Diabetes
When you have elevated blood glucose levels (high blood sugar), that excess glucose can affect the blood vessels that lead to your retina. Those blood vessels can become clogged or begin to leak fluid or blood. Faulty blood vessels and resulting scar tissue can lead to side effects such as tiny aneurysms in your retina, retinal detachment, and even glaucoma.
Sometimes the leakage of fluid into your eye can be so thorough that it creates vision loss in that eye. Much of the time, the blockage is actually temporary, but if your retina has become damaged from the leaks and clogs, your vision might remain impaired in that eye.
Proper eye care, including regular exams by an eye doctor in an optometry clinic, can identify signs of diabetic retinopathy. The earlier you can start controlling your diabetes and other risk factors (e.g., smoking is another risk factor that can lead to retinopathy), the better your chances are of preserving your sight.
Catch Diabetic Retinopathy Early
Once you begin to experience symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, the condition is already well established. By having your eyes checked regularly — and maybe even more often if you have diabetes — you stand a better chance of finding diabetic retinopathy early on, when you aren’t yet experiencing problems, and it will be easier to manage the condition. Fallas Family Vision in McDonough offers optometry services for diabetic retinopathy and can help you improve your eye health through professional care. Contact us at (770) 954-9898 to arrange for a consultation.