If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes, you’re probably learning about the many ways the disease can affect the body. Even if you have perfect vision, diabetes patients should regularly see an eye doctor because there is an increased risk of certain eye conditions. Here, the doctors at Comprehensive Eye Care in Washington, MO, share more about this.

What Eye Diseases Are Diabetes Patients at Risk For?

Diabetes can cause permanent eye damage that can lead to reduced vision quality or blindness. The general term for eye diseases associated with diabetes is diabetic eye disease. This encompasses several conditions that diabetics should watch for:

• Glaucoma: This is a disease that causes nerve damage and can lead to total vision loss if left untreated. Patients typically lose peripheral vision first. Diabetics are twice as likely to develop glaucoma and should have a test performed by an eye doctor at each visit.
• Cataracts: A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s lens and can be treated surgically. Although cataracts are common among people as they age, diabetes can cause them to develop early.
• Diabetic Retinopathy: This disease is characterized by damaged blood vessels in the lining at the back of the eye. In the early stages, blood vessels can leak into the retina and cause vision problems. People with diabetic retinopathy may have cloudy and splotchy vision.
• Diabetic Macular Edema: This is swelling of the macula, which is part of the retina. It can cause vision to become less sharp, or lead to full vision loss. People who have diabetic retinopathy are at a higher risk.

How Should Diabetics Care for Their Eyes?

The best way to prevent diabetic eye disease is to monitor and manage your diabetes. Patients whose blood glucose or blood pressure are high are more likely to develop these eye diseases, so they should work closely with their physician and eye doctor to maintain overall health.  

The eye doctors at Comprehensive Eye Care offer diabetic eye care as well as routine eye exams, treatment for glaucoma and eye injuries, and surgical procedures. This state-of-the-art practice provides the latest treatments and technology to help you maintain good eye health. Call (636) 390-3999 to schedule an appointment and check out Google reviews to see what their patients have to say about the eye care team.