I Have Diabetes – How Will That Impact My Vision? 

Diabetes can affect your body in dramatic ways, including your eyesight. Knowing what diabetes can do to your eyesight and what you can do to avoid vision problems created by diabetes. At Champaign Eye Professionals, we perform comprehensive eye exams to look out for the effects of diabetes. Here’s what you need to know about diabetes and how it can impact your eyesight.

Diabetes Puts You At Risk

Diabetes can put patients at risk for a number of conditions that can lead to loss of sight in various ways. Eye conditions that diabetic patients are most at risk for include:

  • Glaucoma
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Macular edema
  • Cataracts

Seeing the Eye Doctor Is Important

Some of the conditions that patients are at risk of developing have few or no symptoms in the early stages and can lead to permanent loss of eyesight. The only way to catch some of these conditions in the early stages is to see the eye doctor regularly for comprehensive examinations. During these exams, the eye doctor will dilate the eyes and look inside to identify damage from eye diseases.

Know the Symptoms to Watch Out For

Knowing the symptoms of eye disease can prompt patients to go to the eye doctor in Champaign, IL as soon as symptoms emerge.

  • Blurry vision
  • Wavy vision
  • Poor color vision
  • Dark areas in the vision
  • Floaters in vision
  • Flashes of light
  • Vision loss

Make An Appointment With Your Eye Doctor

Are you noticing problems with your vision? Do you have diabetes? Visit the eye doctor once annually. Contact the pros at Champaign Eye Professionals. We’ll schedule a comprehensive vision exam to diagnose your vision problems today.

How Diabetes and Glaucoma Are Connected 

Health conditions of the body often affect the health conditions of the eyes. For instance, there is a potential connection between diabetes and glaucoma. People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing glaucoma, a condition that damages the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss. This is because high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damage blood vessels in the body, including those in the eye.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, which is responsible for transmitting visual information from the eye to the brain. The optic nerve is made up of many nerve fibers, and when these fibers are damaged, it can lead to vision loss or blindness.

Diagnosing Glaucoma

Your eye doctor in Champaign, IL will check your eyes for signs of glaucoma during your eye exam. This simple, non-invasive test could potentially save your sight.

Increased Risk Factors With Diabetes

In addition, people with diabetes are also more likely to have other risk factors for glaucoma, such as high blood pressure and a family history of the condition.

Preventing Glaucoma From Diabetes

People with diabetes need to work with their healthcare providers to manage their blood sugar levels and blood pressure to help reduce their risk of developing glaucoma and other complications. This may involve taking medications, making lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, and monitoring blood sugar levels regularly. It will certainly involve having a glaucoma test in Champaign, IL on a recurring basis.

If you have pre-diabetes or diabetes, it’s crucial to have regular eye exams to monitor for glaucoma and other eye problems. Early detection and treatment can help prevent or slow vision loss. For more information about the connection between diabetes and glaucoma, or to book your next appointment, please contact us today.

Development of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a serious condition that causes eye damage. It can lead to partial or full vision loss, but can be prevented with proper management and early detection by your eye doctor in Champaign, IL . The condition can affect anyone with diabetes.

Development of diabetic retinopathy begins with damage to the tiny blood vessels in the eye, known as microaneurysms. These may leak fluid into the retina. This fluid can then build up, and it can even damage the optic nerve. When this occurs, people with diabetic retinopathy need to see an eye specialist as soon as possible, if they haven’t already.

Surgery May be Needed

Some new blood vessels form in the macula, which is the part of the retina responsible for central vision. The new blood vessels grow and leak easily, which can interfere with the normal flow of fluid out of the eye. If this happens, patients need to undergo surgery to seal these leaks.

Diabetes a Major Factor

Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy are at high risk for loss of sight. In some cases, this condition can progress to the point where it can cause scar tissue to form on the back of the eye, which can detach the retina.

Risk Factors For Diabetic Retinopathy

Various risk factors are associated with the development of diabetic retinopathy. People with an untreated or unknown condition of diabetes are at higher risk, as are those who have certain genetic predispositions. Those who have suffered with more than 15 years of diabetes are at an even higher risk.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs in both type 1 and type 2 diabetics. Although there are different treatment options for the disease, the goal is to prevent it from causing any visual impairment. For a comprehensive eye exam in Champaign, IL, where the development of diabetic retinopathy may be detected, please contact our office today.

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I Have Diabetes. How Does that Affect My Eye Sight?

Diabetes impacts many systems in your body, including your eyes. If you have diabetes, you could be at risk for various conditions that affect your vision. Seeing your eye doctor in Champaign, IL, can help, as can watching for signs of a problem. Below, we’ve outlined the various ways that diabetes can impact your eyesight.

Diabetes Puts You At Risk

People who have diabetes are at risk for a variety of conditions, including diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. People who have diabetes are also more likely to develop cataracts at a younger age.

What You Can Do for Your Eyes with Diabetes

While it’s true that having diabetes can put you at risk for the conditions listed above, there are things you can do to protect yourself.

Get Regular Diabetic Eye Exams

Diabetic eye exams are exams that look into the eye for conditions that are otherwise hard to detect during a standard eye exam. During the diabetic eye exam, the eyes are dilated so the eye doctor can see what’s happening inside the eye. If you have diabetes and haven’t had a diabetic eye exam, contact your eye doctor to schedule your exam today. Get a new exam every year.

Watch for Changes in Your Vision

If you have diabetes, watch for changes in your vision, such as blurry vision, fading colors, headaches, and more. If you happen to notice these symptoms, talk to your eye doctor.

Need an Eye Exam? Contact Your Eye Doctor Today in Champaign, IL

If you’ve got diabetes and haven’t been to the eye doctor recently, it’s probably time to sign up for an eye exam in Champaign, IL. Contact the professionals at Champaign Eye Professionals today to make an appointment.