At West Texas Eye Associates in Lubbock, TX, we understand the importance of regular eye exam visits for our diabetic patients, and we're here to work with you to manage your eye health. If you're having vision problems related to diabetes, it's important to schedule a diabetic eye exam, so we can assess your condition and provide you with treatment. Diabetic Retinopathy occurs in those who have diabetes, and you can learn more below to find out why it’s important to have it treated and how it affects your vision.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
While diabetes is a disease that is concerned with your body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels, it can affect many different parts of the body, including your eyes. In some people, diabetes causes changes in the blood vessels that are in the back of the eye.
Diabetic retinopathy typically causes no symptoms when it first occurs, which is why it is important to have regular diabetic eye exams. Our eye doctors will be able to notice signs of diabetic retinopathy before you begin to experience changes in your vision. This allows us to create a treatment for you and provide guidance on lifestyle changes that are necessary to regulate your blood sugar before your vision is negatively affected. Those with diabetic retinopathy typically notice blind spots in their vision and blurriness despite the use of corrective lenses and total blindness can also occur.
Management for Eye Diseases
If you have diabetes, it's especially important that you have regular eye exams. While once a year may be enough to manage your symptoms, our doctors may recommend that you visit us more frequently for exams. If your symptoms are severe, we need to watch the progression of the diabetic retinopathy more closely.
You'll also want to regularly monitor your blood sugar and make sure it is within the recommended range. When your blood sugar is under control, you'll likely experience fewer symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. Making small changes daily help you manage eye diseases and improve your health.
Contact us for an Eye Exam Today
At West Texas Eye Associates in Lubbock, TX, we provide treatment for our patients with diabetes to help them preserve their vision. If you've recently been diagnosed with the disease or are experiencing symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, we recommending scheduling a diabetic eye exam with our doctors as soon as possible so we can assess the health of your eyes. Contact us at (806) 792-5900 today and we will set you up with an appointment!