For diabetics, vision loss is a clear and present danger, which is why vigilant oversight of your eye health through diabetic eye exams is paramount. At Ideal Family Eye Care, LTD Sylwia Szewczyk, OD & Associates, Sylwia Szewczyk, OD, and Małgorzata Zolnierzow, OD, have considerable experience helping their diabetic patients in the Jefferson Park area of Chicago better manage their eye health. To schedule your diabetic eye exam, call or use the online booking feature.
Diabetic Eye Disease Q & A
Why do I need a diabetic eye exam?
Diabetes is a systemic disease that can have a widespread impact on your health, including your eyesight. This is because diabetes directly affects your vascular health, weakening and damaging the blood vessels throughout your body, including the ones in your retina. In fact, these blood vessels are extremely sensitive, making them more vulnerable to damage, which is why diabetic retinopathy strikes about one-third of the 285 million people with diabetes worldwide.
And, in its advanced stages, diabetic retinopathy causes irreversible damage to your retina, often leading to vision loss.
But with regular oversight of your eye health through a diabetic eye exam, your doctor can spot the early signs and take swift action and, perhaps more importantly, help you prevent any damage, to begin with.
What are the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?
During the early stages of retinopathy, there generally aren’t any noticeable symptoms. If the damage continues unchecked, however, you may begin to experience:
- Floaters in your vision
- Dark spots in your vision
- Blurry vision
- Compromised color vision
And the symptoms only grow worse if the retinopathy advances, possibly robbing you of your vision entirely.
Thankfully, through regular diabetic eye exams at Ideal Family Eye Care, you can take action to prevent vision loss.
What happens during a diabetic eye exam?
During your diabetic eye exam at Ideal Family Eye Care, your doctor monitors the health of your retina closely. To do this, they dilate your pupils to get a better look at the back of your eye. They also perform a number of other tests to check your vision and the health of your cornea.
If your doctor spots the early signs of trouble, they recommend some steps you can take to protect your vision, such as:
- Better managing your glucose levels
- Exercising more to keep your blood pressure in check
- Eating better to address high cholesterol
Ultimately, a few healthy lifestyle changes, as well as vigilant oversight through regular diabetic eye exams, go a long way toward safeguarding your eyesight.
To schedule your diabetic eye exam, call Ideal Family Eye Care or use the easy online booking tool.