When you have diabetes, you need regular, comprehensive eye examinations. At Focused Eye Care, Dr. Joel Sollom and Dr. Jonathan Schorn have extensive experience in diabetic eye health and the complications that can arise from the condition. Located in Lakeville, and serving the surrounding areas of Apple Valley, Farmington and Rosemount, Minnesota, these optometrists work with you to reduce your risk of complications, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and blindness. Don’t let diabetes take your vision. Call the office at 952-985-6467 or book your appointment online now.
Why are diabetic eye exams important?
When you have diabetes, it can do permanent damage to your eyes, specifically to the small blood vessels in your retina. When this happens, it’s called diabetic retinopathy, which is one of the leading causes of decreased vision and blindness in American adults.
Diabetes also increases your risk of glaucoma, a condition that creates pressure on your optic nerve, causing damage that may lead to blindness.
Because these conditions may not be symptomatic until severe damage has occurred, it’s important that people with diabetes have regular, comprehensive eye exams. Catching these conditions early is vital to protecting your vision.
What happens during a diabetic eye exam?
When you see your optometrist for a diabetic eye exam, they complete a variety of tests and screening procedures to determine the health of your eyes.
They may use equipment to look at the back of your eye and test your vision using a Snellen chart, sometimes called a distance chart.
Your doctor may dilate your pupils to get a better view of the back of your eye. Once your pupils dilate, your optometrist uses a magnifying glass and bright light to look for damage to blood vessels or your optic nerve.
Depending on what your doctor sees, they may take photographs of your eye to get a more thorough and detailed image.
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when blood vessels in your retina become damaged from diabetes. It affects up to 80% of patients who’ve had diabetes for 10 years or more. While the early stage of the disease doesn’t have many symptoms, you may experience intermittent blurring or randomly have spots appear in your vision.
Diabetic retinopathy is most common in those who’ve had diabetes for awhile, and the longer you have diabetes, the higher your risk for the condition becomes. Other risk factors include:
- Hypertension
- Smoking
- Poorly controlled blood sugar
- Diabetic retinopathy is a chronic condition, and once eye damage has occurred, it’s irreversible.
If you have diabetes and looking for an optometrist who has experience with the disease, contact Focused Eye Care today. Both Dr. Sollom and Dr. Schorn are accepting new patients and appointments can be scheduled by calling the office or booking online.
