Diabetic Retinopathy: How Diabetes Affects Your Eyes and Vision

The Connection Between Diabetes and Eye Health

If you have diabetes, your body cannot properly use and store sugar, leading to high blood sugar levels. Over time, this excess sugar can damage the delicate blood vessels throughout your body, including those in your eyes. This condition is known as Diabetic Retinopathy.

Recognizing the Symptoms

In the early stages, you might not experience any symptoms. As the condition progresses, you may notice:

• Spots or dark strings floating in your vision (floaters).
• Blurred, fluctuating, or distorted vision.
• Impaired color vision.
• Dark or empty areas in your visual field.
• Sudden, severe vision loss in advanced cases.

The Importance of Early Screening

Early detection is the key to preventing permanent blindness. Diabetics should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. We utilize advanced Fundus Photography to capture highly detailed images of your retina, allowing us to spot microaneurysms, hemorrhages, or fluid leaks before they severely impact your sight.

Advanced Retinal Treatments

If diabetic retinopathy reaches an advanced stage or causes macular edema (swelling), aggressive treatment is required. This often includes Anti-VEGF Injectables directly into the eye to stop the growth of abnormal blood vessels, or Retinal Lasers to seal leaking vessels and preserve central vision.