Diabetic Eye Care
When you have diabetes, you'll have to change the way you do things, such as eating, exercising, and more. You'll also need to start being more proactive when it comes to your healthcare. Another area where you want to be diligent about proactive care is when it comes to your eyes. When you have diabetes, you're at higher risk of developing some eye problems. This article will discuss a couple of the eye problems that those with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing and explain how they're detected.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma refers to a group of eye diseases that can damage your optic nerve. The optic nerve is the bundle of nerves that connects your eyes to your brain. Glaucoma can lead to vision loss and even blindness if it isn't treated early. Having diabetes can significantly increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma.
When you go to the optometrist, they'll employ several non-invasive techniques to check for the presence of glaucoma. They can use a piece of equipment called a tonometer to measure the pressure in your eye when the tonometer blows a puff of air into it. The optometrist will also give you a thorough exam and field vision test. During the exam, they'll look in your eye with equipment like special lenses and a biomicroscope to look for any signs of damage or abnormalities that can indicate the presence of glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is another concern for those with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that affects the retina through the blood vessels. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue located in the back of your eye. The elevated blood sugars that diabetics regularly deal with can damage the blood vessels. Over time, this can cause them to become blocked or leak, which leads to vision problems and potential blindness.
The optometrist can put drops in your eyes to dilate them, then get a clear view of the retina through a special ophthalmoscope to look for issues such as swelling, hemorrhages, or even microaneurysms. They can also use optical coherence tomography angiography equipment, which uses light waves to produce pictures of your retina to look for swelling, fluid, and other problems. Another test involves the injection of fluorescent light into the bloodstream, which highlights the retina's blood vessels so they can better detect leaks and other problems.
Conclusion
When a problem is detected in the early stages, you'll likely have more possible treatment options, which significantly increases your chances of seeing better results.
For more info, contact a local company like Northwest Ophthalmology.
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