DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Diabetes is a condition that can affect your entire body including your eyes! When we see signs of diabetes in your eyes we call it diabetic retinopathy. The eye is the only place in the body that we can directly view blood vessels without cutting you open. This gives optometrist the opportunity to detected any early changes to blood vessels due to the diabetes. Diabetes affects your blood vessels by making them leaky. This can be seen as areas of bleeding inside the eye, which when left uncontrolled can lead to vision loss. The best treatment option for diabetic retinopathy is prevention, which is why it is really important to have regular follow ups with your primary care provider to closely monitor your blood sugar levels. If you develop significant bleeding in the eye due to uncontrolled diabetes, you may possibly require eye injections to slow down the bleeding.