If you're in the Chelsea or Saline areas and have questions or concerns about how diabetes may be affecting your eyes, Saline Optometry/Chelsea Eyeglass Co can help. Our eye doctor and team are dedicated to helping people just like you with a diabetic eye exam and other information that can give you the support and knowledge you need to protect your eye health.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that affects the blood vessels in the retina. Over time, it can cause burst blood vessels, the growth of abnormal vessels, and improper or inadequate blood flow. This may lead to vision loss, and this loss is typically not reversible. In other words, once people lose some of their vision to this condition, they must live with that lowered level of vision for life.
What Happens During a Diabetic Eye Exam?
During a diabetic eye exam, your eye doctor will conduct all the standard tests they perform for other eye health and vision conditions. Then they will also look for signs of diabetic retinopathy and other eye disease concerns. This can give them an idea of whether you're at risk, if you're developing these conditions, and how advanced any eye disease currently is so they can monitor it.
How Can You Prevent Eye Disease?
Preventing eye disease isn't always possible, but there are some things you can do to help reduce your risk and slow down the progression of any disease. Keeping your blood sugar stable and within a good range is the best thing to do when trying to reduce the development of diabetic eye diseases like retinopathy. You also want to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check.
What Will Your Eye Doctor Look For?
Your eye doctor will look for changes to your eyes and, if you already have an established eye disease, will also assess how much the disease might have progressed since your last visit. Abnormal blood vessels can generally be seen in an eye exam, so that will help your doctor determine whether they're growing further or whether your retinopathy is remaining stable.
Reach Out to Our Optometrists Today
If you're in the Saline or Chelsea areas and need an optometrist to help you with a diabetic eye exam and concerns about eye diseases, Saline Optometry/Chelsea Eyeglass Co is here to assist you. Reach out to us today to get the information and treatment you need.