Diabetes can have a number of consequences on your overall health, including your vision. Fortunately, managing your diabetes will help prevent you from developing serious symptoms. This November, during Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, discover how regular checkups with your ophthalmologist can detect diabetic retinopathy.

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Poorly controlled blood sugar can result in damage to the light-sensitive blood vessels in the back eye tissues. If this damage becomes extensive, the blood vessels may swell, leak, or close. New, abnormal blood vessels can also grow, causing diabetic retinopathy, which impact the quality of your vision. Early symptoms of this condition include blurred sight, dark areas of vision, and difficulty seeing color. As diabetic retinopathy progresses, these symptoms can become more severe and even lead to blindness if not treated.

How Do Eye Exams Help Diabetic Retinopathy?

If you experience any symptoms of diabetic retinopathy or other changes to your vision, schedule an appointment with your ophthalmologist. They will perform an eye exam, which involves using special drops to dilate the pupils of your eye for a closer look at their insides. They may also conduct a fluorescein angiography, which uses yellow dye to highlight the eye’s blood vessels, allowing your doctor to detect signs of diabetic retinopathy.

How Can You Slow the Progression of This Condition?

Regularly checking your blood sugar levels, reducing your consumption of high-sodium food, and eating foods with less fat are all necessary steps of proper diabetes management. Regular eye exams will also help you measure the progression of the disease and allow your ophthalmologist to recommend treatment. Advanced cases of diabetic retinopathy may require surgery or laser treatment.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes and are ready to start managing your eye care, trust the professionals at Hawaii Vision Clinic in Aiea and Honolulu. Dr. William K. Wong, Jr., the ophthalmologist on staff, has been recognized in local publications as one of Hawaii’s Best Doctors because of his extensive experience in diagnosing and treating diseases of the eye. To learn more about the clinic’s services, visit their website, or call (808) 487-7938 to make an appointment today.