Can you name all the parts of your eye? Even if you can’t name every part, you have probably heard of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye. It is very important to your vision. This means that any type of damage to or disease of your retina can have severe consequences. Here at Berks Eye, we treat a number of eye conditions that affect your retina.
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Diabetes is linked to many health problems such as fatigue, heart disease, high blood pressure and nerve damage. With all these concerns, one factor that diabetic patients often overlook is eye health. Unfortunately, diabetics have greater odds of developing multiple debilitating eye conditions that can lead to blindness. To emphasize the need for regular eye examinations, the eye doctors at Berks Eye discuss a few diabetes-related conditions that warrant early treatment.
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Diabetic retinopathy is the primary cause of blindness in diabetic individuals. Both eyes are usually affected. The dedicated eye care specialists at Reading’s Berks Eye Physicians and Surgeon Ltd. explain how to recognize the condition and why prompt treatment is necessary.
Diabetic retinopathy results from the damage to the blood vessels in the retina’s tissue. The retina, a thin layer of tissue located at the back of the eye, converts light signals from the lens into neural signals and then transmits them to the brain.
Too much sugar in the blood can affect the minute blood vessels feeding the retina. The blood supply to these vessels is cut off or diminished. While the eye tries to grow new vessels, they are weaker and more likely to leak.
Blood vessel damage is progressive. Eventually, scar tissue created by new blood vessel growth can cause retinal detachment. Sometimes, the new blood vessels wreak havoc on the eye’s fluid flow. This can result in the buildup of pressure and optic nerve damage. Glaucoma is the end result. In time, retinal detachment or glaucoma can lead to total vision loss.
While anyone with diabetes may develop diabetic retinopathy, some are more vulnerable than others. The longer you have had diabetes, the higher the risk. Other factors include:
Smoking is a significant risk factor. So is pregnancy. Diabetic retinopathy occurs more frequently in those of Black, Hispanic and Native American ancestry.
Early signs of diabetic retinopathy are subtle. The condition may have progressed before symptoms appear, another reason annual eye exams are critical.
Suspect diabetic retinopathy if experiencing any of the following vision symptoms:
Always contact your eye doctor immediately if any vision changes occur.
Treatment for diabetic retinopathy depends on whether the disease is caught in its early stages or has advanced. Early treatment may consist of good diabetes management and more frequent eye exams. Advanced diabetic retinopathy may require surgery, laser treatment, or medication injected directly into the eyes.
As you know, diabetes is not curable. That means diabetic retinopathy could recur after treatment. Because good diabetes management is essential, follow your doctor’s orders regarding nutrition and exercise and monitor your blood sugar levels several times daily.
While everyone should have their eyes examined regularly, it is especially crucial that those with diabetes undergo annual checkups. Contact the dedicated eye care specialists at Berks Eye in Reading, PA to schedule a consultation. The sooner diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed, the more treatment options are available.
Diabetes threatens the health of numerous organs and systems of the body, including the eyes and visual system. It raises the risk of serious eye problems that can lead to blindness. One of the most prominent vision-related threats to people with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, which damages the small blood vessels in the retina. The disease can cause the retina to grow weak, abnormal blood vessels that leak blood and fluid; it can also trigger the growth of scar tissue in the eye.
Routine eye exams can catch problems like diabetic retinopathy in their early stages and keep them at bay. The team at Berks Eye Physicians and Surgeons encourages people with diabetes to be diligent about scheduling regular eye exams to stay ahead of vision problems. (more…)
Do not use this form if you are having an eye emergency or eye problem.
Please call Berks Eye 24/7 at 610-372-0712 to reach the office or on call doctor.
1802 Paper Mill Road, Wyomissing, PA 19610
