DIABETIC EYE DISEASE MANAGEMENT WITH OUR CARMEL AND FISHERS OPTOMETRIST
Having diabetes does not only affect your body—it also affects your eyes. Many of the changes that diabetes causes in your body can lead to corresponding changes in your eyes that can affect vision. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that is caused exclusively by diabetes, but diabetes can increase your risk of other eye conditions, as well.
Types of Common Eye Disease
Both diabetes and common eye diseases increase in frequency as people age. Not all eye diseases are associated with aging, but many of them are:
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Macular degeneration
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Dry eye
Some of these conditions are strongly associated with aging, while others are less strongly associated. However, all of them are more common in older people than younger people.
Signs of Eye Disease
Some eye diseases are subtle, like glaucoma. Most people with glaucoma do not know that they have it until the condition has already caused damage to the optic nerve. Other diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration, can manifest themselves as gradually blurring eyesight, which people may accept as part of the normal aging process.
Diabetic retinopathy usually causes floaters, which sometimes disappear on their own. However, without treatment, the bleeding that causes them usually recurs. Dry eye frequently causes excessive tearing when the body tries to make up for the quality of tears with an increase in quantity. It can also cause pain, redness, and a sensation of sand in the eyes.
Avoiding and Managing Eye Diseases
None of these eye diseases are curable. However, they are all manageable. It is essential that people get regular eye exams in order to screen for these conditions, as well as other, less common ones.
There is no one method of preventing eye diseases that will work for everyone. However, maintaining a healthy diet that is high in vegetables and fruits, as well as exercising, is known to decrease your risk of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Not smoking can reduce your risk of cataracts, dry eye, and macular degeneration.
The Importance of Regular Eye Exams by an Optometrist
All of these common conditions can cause permanent harm if they are left untreated. However, all of them can be managed. If they are caught in the early stages, vision loss may be able to be minimized or avoided entirely. For this reason, people without eye disease should have regular screenings for the condition, and people with eye disease should have regular check-ups to follow the progression of their condition.
Contact Us Today
Revolution Eyes is located in Carmel and Fishers, IN, and serves both Carmel, Fishers and the surrounding areas. We offer a wide variety of testing and treatment options for people with eye conditions.
To make an appointment, call our Carmel office at (317) 844-2020, our Fishers office at (317) 790-2015 or request an appointment online.