Get Help Preserving Your Sight

In some cases, the health conditions you have could increase your risk of eye disease. One of these conditions is diabetes, a widespread health concern that affects millions of Americans.

Preserving your family’s health is what drives us every day. If you or a loved one is affected by diabetes, please get in touch with our team to book a comprehensive diabetic eye exam in Novato.

Learn more about your vision with Total Vision Novato, formerly E. McCurdy O.D., and find helpful strategies for keeping your eyes healthy, clear, and comfortable.

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How Does Diabetes Affect Your Eyes?

Diabetes is a health condition that affects how your body processes glucose, also known as blood sugar.

High blood sugar increases the risk of several diseases, including ones that affect your eyes. While living with diabetes, your body may have difficulty producing or using insulin to help manage your blood sugar levels. Over time, high blood sugar can damage blood vessels in your retina, increasing the risk of retinopathy, open-angle glaucoma, and cataracts.

Common Diabetes-Related Eye Concerns

We can observe the interior of your eye during a comprehensive eye exam. With the help of medically focused, innovative technology, we can look at the health of your:

Crystalline lens
Retina
Macula
Optic nerve
Retinal arteries and veins

Eye exams could also reveal symptoms of diabetes even if you haven’t been diagnosed yet. If diabetes is a concern for you, please visit your eye doctor regularly.

Diabetic Retinopathy

If you have diabetes, you could risk developing diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that affects your retina’s blood vessels, causing them to leak fluids.

There are 2 types of diabetic retinopathy:

Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a common version of the disease. It slowly affects the retina and increases the risk of vision loss.
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy: an advanced version of the disease. It occurs when abnormal blood vessels develop in your retina over time, creating scar tissue and increasing the risk of retinal detachment.

Your risk of developing this disease increases if you smoke, have high blood pressure, or have high cholesterol.

Diabetic Macular Edema

Diabetic macular edema is an issue that may develop if you have diabetic retinopathy.

As fluids leak from your retinal blood vessels, they can accumulate under your macula and cause it to swell. Over time, you may develop various central vision problems like blurriness, double vision, washed-out colors, or floaters.

Open-Angle Glaucoma

Diabetes can double your risk of developing open-angle glaucoma, an eye disease that affects your optic nerve and increases the risk of vision loss.

Open-angle glaucoma occurs when blockages develop in your eye’s natural drainage system, increasing your intraocular pressure and damaging the optic nerve.

Learn more about open-angle glaucoma by visiting our Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management page.

Cataracts

Diabetes could increase the risk of developing cataracts earlier in life.

If they aren’t treated, cataracts could lead to vision problems like refractive errors or blindness. However, cataract surgery can help treat advanced cataract symptoms.

Learn more about cataracts on our Adult & Senior Eye Exam page.

Uncover More About Your Eye Health

It’s time to understand the relationship between your body and eyes. If you live with diabetes, eye exams can detect problems and allow us to preserve your eyesight.

Book your next appointment with us today.

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