Diabetes and Your Eyes: How to Protect Yourself Against Vision Loss

It’s important to take good care of your eyes when you have diabetes because not only can this condition increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, but it can also put you at risk of developing certain eye problems, such as:

• Diabetic retinopathy: This causes small blood vessels in the retina to get weak and possibly leak blood. It can result in vision loss if not treated.
• Glaucoma: Causes high blood pressure in the back of the eye. If it isn’t treated, it can also cause vision loss or blindness.
• Cataracts: Cataracts cause a ‘clouding’ of the lens of the eye that makes your vision unclear or blurry. People with diabetes are more likely to develop cataracts.

Given that both diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma do not display any symptoms in their early stages, it’s critical to book regular comprehensive eye exams with your optometrist, as well as a diabetic retinal test, to protect your vision and eye health.

Diabetic Retinal Examination, Cataract Management & Glaucoma Testing at our Calgary Eye Clinic

At our Calgary eye clinic, our team of highly knowledgeable and qualified optometrists offer a wide range of services including diabetic retinal examinations, cataract management, and glaucoma testing, to protect the health of your eyes and prevent any vision loss.

Want to know more?

BOOK AN EYE EXAM AT OUR CALGARY CLINIC

Quick Facts About Diabetes and Your Eyes

Many people don’t understand the link between diabetes and your eye health, but did you know that individuals with diabetes are 20 times more likely to get eye diseases than those without the condition?

Some other quick facts on diabetes and your eyes include:

• It is the main cause of blindness amongst people younger than 74 years of age.
• Serious eye problems happen more often among people with diabetes, most notably glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy.
• To prevent these sight-threatening diseases, it’s important to control your blood sugar level and have your eyes checked at least once a year by your Calgary optometrist.

Dilated Eye Exams For Patients With Diabetes: What Happens During This Exam

Patients with diabetes should get a dilated eye exam with their optometrist at least once a year and share the results with their primary care doctor. During this exam:

• Eye drops are administered to make your pupils larger.
• The drops are painless and help your optometrist see inside your eyes for any signs of health problems.
• Your eye doctor may take pictures of your eyes with a tool called retinal photography. This helps them to see the retinal more clearly and possibly erect problems to keep you from losing your vision.

IMPORTANCE OF DIABETIC RETINAL EXAMINATIONS

Patients with diabetes should see their eye doctor at least once a year, however if you are noticing any of the below symptoms, you should go to your eye clinic as soon as possible:

• Red spots
• Red fog
• Black lines or spots that won’t disappear
• You take longer than usual to adjust to darkness
• There are other sudden changes to your vision

How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy When You Have Diabetes

Diabetes does increase your risk of developing certain eye conditions, but there are steps you can take to protect your ocular and overall healthy, including:

• Getting a dilated eye exam from your optometrist at least once a year.
• Keeping track of and telling your eye doctor about any vision changes you’ve noticed.
• Talking with your optometrist about the best ways to keep your eyes healthy.
• Asking your eye doctor to send your test results to your primary care doctor after every visit.
• Keeping your blood sugar at a healthy level

Contact Us

If you do have diabetes, it’s important to schedule regular eye exams with your optometrist. To find out more about our eye health services, including diabetic retinal examinations and emergency eye care, visit us at 2525 36 St NE, Unit 157 Calgary, Alberta, T1Y 5T4. Alternatively, you can contact our optometrists at 403-280-7518 or book an appointment online.