Diabetic Eye Exams | Waterdown | Flamborough Family Eyecare

Specialized Eye Exams

At Flamborough Family Eyecare, we offer diabetic eye exams for people dealing with diabetes and who have been diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes is a disease that can affect many parts of your body, including your eyesight.

A comprehensive eye exam can help with possible early detection of diabetes and explore what lifestyle and dietary changes you may need for diabetes management.

Get in touch with us at Flamborough Family Eyecare for all your eye exam needs and request an appointment today.

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Understanding Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that develops when blood vessels in your retina are damaged. Diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam and the symptoms usually affect vision in both eyes. As the damage worsens, it may result in a loss of vision and you shouldn’t wait to book an appointment.

Over time, an abundance of sugar in your blood can block the blood vessels that nourish your retina, cutting off its blood supply. Because of this blockage, your eye will attempt to grow new blood vessels. When these new blood vessels do not develop properly, they can leak into your retinal tissue.

Initial symptoms of diabetic retinopathy may be barely noticeable as they can develop over time. Some of these symptoms include:

Floaters or dark strings in your field of vision
Dark or empty areas in your field of vision
Blurry vision
Vision changes that seem to fluctuate
Partial or total vision loss

When these symptoms appear, please feel free to request an appointment with us today to find the right treatment plan for you.

What to Expect During a Diabetic Eye Exam

Diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy at Flamborough Family Eyecare is done using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) exam. During this test, pictures provide cross-sectional images of your retina that show the thickness of your retina. These images help determine how much fluid has leaked into your retinal tissue.

Your treatment will depend on the type of diabetic retinopathy you have and, as well as the severity of your condition.

Early Diabetic Retinopathy

If you have mild or moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, treatment may not be required right away. Our eye doctors will closely monitor your eyes and determine when treatment is necessary, making consistent eye exams that much more important.

When diabetic retinopathy is mild or moderate, having a handle on your blood sugar can usually slow progression.

Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy

Advanced diabetic retinopathy occurs when new, abnormal blood vessels begin to grow inside the eye. These abnormal blood vessels grow when the retina loses nourishment and signals the body to grow new blood vessels.

These new vision changes can cause vision loss in numerous ways:

The new abnormal blood vessels can leak easily
Leakage of blood into your eyes can make it difficult to see
Scar tissue can form on the retina

Minor bleeding can cause dark spots and lines in your vision, while major bleeding can cause severe vision loss and lead to blindness.

It’s essential to seek treatment for diabetic retinopathy to prevent more serious vision loss from happening in the future.

We Have You Covered

Whether you’re coming in for a comprehensive eye exam or need assistance with diabetic retinopathy, Flamborough Family Eyecare has you covered. Diabetic eye exams are vital to treating diabetic retinopathy issues.

Request an appointment with us today for your comprehensive diabetic eye exam.

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