Diabetic Eye Disease: Types, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

People who have diabetes are prone to diabetic eye problems. However, careful management of diabetes and regular eye exams can prevent loss of vision. Changes in glucose levels affect the eyes in various ways. One of the first signs of diabetic eye problems is blurry vision.
People with blurry diabetes vision find it harder to make out details of whatever they are looking at. Once you notice vision changes, seek diagnosis and diabetic eye disease treatment in Monterey, CA.

Diabetic Eye Diseases

Cataracts

Diabetic people may develop cataracts at a younger age than normal. They cause your eye lens to become cloudy therefore giving you cloudy or blurry vision. The vision of people with cataracts does not improve with new prescriptions or glasses.

Other symptoms of cataracts include:

• Light sensitivity
• Faded colors
• Double vision in one eye
• Glare or halos around lights

Hyperglycemia

This diabetic eye problem is caused by a glucose buildup in the blood when your body has inadequate insulin to process it.
The symptoms include:

• Blurry vision
• Headache
• Increased thirst and urination
• Fatigue

Open-Angle Glaucoma

Patients who suffer from diabetes have a double risk of getting glaucoma. This eye disease results from high intraocular pressure that damages the optic nerve.

The symptoms in its advanced stage include:

• Halos around lights
• Eye pain
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Red eyes
• Nausea or vomiting

Macular Edema

Macular edema occurs when the central part of the retina swells due to leaking fluid. Its symptoms include:

• Wavy vision
• Color changes

Diabetic Retinopathy

This eye condition occurs because of high blood sugar levels caused by diabetes. Sugar blocks the small blood vessels that go into the retina, causing them to leak or bleed. As a result, the eye grows new blood vessels that bleed more easily since they are weaker.
This is the most advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy, known as proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Long periods of high blood sugar cause fluid to accumulate in the eye, changing your eye lens’s shape and curve. This leads to changes in vision. When your blood sugar levels are under control, the lens returns to its original shape, and your vision improves.

Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms

The symptoms are not produced during the early stages of this diabetic eye disease but in its advanced stage. Signs and symptoms include:

• Color changes in vision
• Blurred vision
• Patches or streaks that block the patient’s vision
• Sudden and total loss of vision
• Eye floaters. These are transparent spots and dark strings that float in your field of vision and move in the direction you are looking at.
• The dark or empty spot in the center of vision
• Poor night vision

Risk Factors

The risk of diabetic retinopathy increases if the patient is diabetic and has the following issues:

• Smoking regularly
• Uncontrolled blood sugar levels
• Pregnancy
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure

Diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy

In the first stage of diabetic retinopathy, called non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, there are no noticeable changes in vision. However, several methods of diagnosis by an ophthalmologist can help detect this eye disease. Some of them are:

Dilated Eye Exam

This exam helps the eye doctor view inside the retina and look for issues such as cataracts, scar tissue, new blood vessels, abnormalities in the optic nerve and retina, and changes in eye pressure.

Optical Coherence Tomography

It is an imaging scan that gives high-resolution cross-sectional images of the retina. The scan reveals the thickness of the retina and allows the specialist to check for swelling or cysts.

Fluorescein Angiography

This test helps the eye doctor determine which blood vessels are leaking fluids, have broken down, or have been blocked. In addition, it provides accurate guidance for laser treatment.

Diabetic Eye Disease Treatment

Diabetic eye disease treatment in Monterey, CA, depends on several factors, such as the severity of the disease and its response to previous treatments. Different diabetic retinopathy treatment options are:

Laser Treatment

Targeted lasers are used to shrink blood vessels in the eye and seal leaks from affected blood vessels. As a result, laser treatment stops or slows down blood leakage and buildup of fluid in the eye.

Injections

The specialist places certain medicine in the eye using a tiny needle to reduce swelling and leakage from blood vessels in the eyes.

Eye Surgery

This procedure involves the removal of some vitreous from your eye. After the cloudy vitreous has been removed, a clear gas or liquid is inserted into its place to help create a new vitreous.

Make an appointment at Eye MD Monterey for diabetic eye disease treatment, comprehensive eye care, and general ophthalmology services.