Diabetes
2020 Family Vision
Optometrists located in Farmington Hill, MI
Diabetes is a widespread and chronic health condition that can cause serious eye problems. If you have diabetes, optometrist Saly Elias and her team at 2020 Family Vision in Southfield, Michigan, can detect issues like glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy at the earliest stage. Prompt diagnosis is vital to help prevent vision loss, so call 2020 Family Vision to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.
Diabetes Q & A
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem caused by a lack of insulin in your body. Insulin is a hormone secreted by your pancreas that’s vital for regulating your blood sugar levels.
Type 1 diabetes develops in young people when an immune system dysfunction kills the cells that make insulin. Type 2 diabetes most often affects older people and is typically due to being overweight or obese. You could also get gestational diabetes when you're pregnant.
Diabetes can cause numerous health problems, including several serious eye diseases.
What eye problems does diabetes cause?
Eye problems diabetes can cause include:
Cataracts
Cataracts affect your eye’s lens, making your vision cloudy. Anyone could develop cataracts, but they’re a more common problem in older age. If you have diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing cataracts, and they’re likely to get worse more quickly than they would otherwise.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma damages blood vessels and nerves in the eye and causes changes in vision. There are different types of glaucoma, which develop when fluid buildup in your eye leads to increased pressure.
People with diabetes are more likely to get a rare form called neovascular glaucoma, where extra blood vessels grow in your iris (the colored part of your eye).
Diabetic retinopathy
Your retina is in the back of your eye. It takes in light and turns it into information that goes to your brain via your optic nerve. High blood sugar levels due to diabetes damage the blood vessels in your retina, and unless treated, diabetic retinopathy can lead to loss of sight.
How are diabetic eye diseases treated?
Each diabetic eye disease requires different treatment. Medications are effective in treating open-angle glaucoma, which is the most common form of this disease. If you have neovascular glaucoma, laser treatment can destroy the abnormal blood vessels in your retina.
Laser treatment is also an option for diabetic retinopathy. Alternatively, you could undergo vitrectomy, which involves replacing the gel-like substance inside your eyeball.
If you have cataracts, you would need surgery. Cataract surgery is a well-established procedure with excellent success rates. Your provider replaces the diseased lens with an artificial one to restore clarity to your sight.
If I have diabetes, should I see an optometrist?
Attending routine eye exams is important for everyone, but when you have diabetes, it's essential to visit 2020 Family Vision regularly. The sooner you get a diagnosis of diabetic eye disease, the more successful treatment is likely to be.
Your optometrist can take retinal images and diagnose eye problems caused by diabetes at the earliest stage. Regular retinal imaging creates a valuable record of the progress of the disease over time.
The 2020 Family Vision team also provides comprehensive care for diabetic eye disease patients and, if necessary, refers you for an injectable treatment or surgery.
Call the 2020 Family Vision office to arrange a routine eye exam or book an appointment online today.