Eye and vision problems are common among people with diabetes, much more common than many people realize. Data show that by age 40, about a third of people with diabetes will show signs of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of diabetes-related vision loss.
At Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts, our team is dedicated to helping individuals manage their diabetes-related vision risks through state-of-the-art treatments and comprehensive diabetic eye exams. If you have diabetes, here’s how regular exams can help protect your eyes and your vision.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when your blood sugar (glucose) levels rise above normal. There are two primary types of diabetes: Type 1 is an autoimmune disease that occurs when your immune system destroys the pancreas cells that produce insulin, a hormone that helps regulate glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes is the more common type of diabetes, accounting for about 90% of all diabetes cases. In Type 2, your body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin effectively and appropriately, leading to high glucose levels. A third type, gestational diabetes, only occurs during pregnancy.
Over time, elevated glucose levels damage your blood vessels and your nerves, including the vessels and nerves associated with eye health and vision. As a result, diabetes increases the risks of several serious eye problems, including diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic macular edema.
Some of these issues are associated with nerve damage caused by high blood sugar levels, while others are due to swelling and a slow leakage of blood and other fluids that happens when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels that provide your eyes with oxygen and nutrients. Together, these four diseases are known as diabetic eye disease.
Diabetic eye disease can cause permanent vision loss if not treated properly, yet as serious as these conditions are, they often cause very subtle symptoms in their earliest stages, or no symptoms at all. This makes them very difficult to detect without a diabetic eye exam.
Diabetic eye exams include all the evaluations included in a regular eye exam, along with additional tests and screenings specifically developed to detect changes associated with diabetic eye disease. These exams help identify problems in their earliest stages, supporting early interventions that can help preserve your vision and prevent future problems.
For people already diagnosed with diabetes, diabetic eye exams help track and monitor changes, allowing us to adjust treatment as needed. We can also work alongside your primary care physician to ensure your overall diabetes management plan remains on track and tailored to your evolving needs.
Diabetes is a chronic condition, and that means you need to take extra care to protect your health and your vision. To learn more about diabetic eye exams or to schedule an exam for yourself or a loved one, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts in Bellmore and Great Neck, New York, today.
