Diabetic Eye Disease

If you have diabetes, you may be at an increased risk of eye damage and vision loss. At Stratus Eye in Suwanee, Georgia, board-certified ophthalmologist Jeffrey Tran, MD, provides thorough eye exams for patients with diabetes to prevent potentially severe complications, such as fluctuating vision, dark areas of vision, or blindness. Call the ophthalmology clinic today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about diabetic eye disease.

What is diabetic eye disease?

Diabetic eye disease includes a number of conditions that can affect the eyes in individuals with diabetes. The chronic disease develops when the pancreas produces too little insulin or uses it inefficiently. This hormone helps your cells use glucose (sugar) for energy. Without healthy insulin levels, glucose builds in the blood and damages the blood vessels.

High blood sugar levels can weaken the small blood vessels in your eyes over time. Many eye diseases can develop, diminishing your vision and overall eye health. 

What are the signs of diabetic eye disease?

Diabetic eye diseases usually develop gradually and often affect one eye before the other. Common signs of diabetic eye disease include:

• Blurred vision
• Vision that fluctuates
• Dark spots in your vision
• Vision loss
• Floaters (dark strings or spots in your vision)
• Difficulty distinguishing colors

Without treatment, diabetes can cause partial or complete blindness. Early intervention can help slow the progression of diabetic eye disease.

What causes diabetic eye disease?

Uncontrolled, high blood sugar levels cause diabetic eye disease. When your blood sugar is too high for too long, the blood vessels in your eyes weaken and leak fluid into the surrounding tissues.

This damage can affect the retina, the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye that sends vital information to the brain’s optic nerve.

Certain factors can raise your risk of developing a diabetic eye disease, including:

• Poor blood sugar management
• A sedentary lifestyle
• Unhealthy diet
• Smoking cigarettes
• High alcohol consumption
• High cholesterol
• Pregnancy

Anybody with diabetes can develop diabetic eye diseases, but certain factors may increase your risk.

Are there different types of diabetic eye disease?

Dr. Tran treats multiple types of diabetic eye disease at his office, including:

• Diabetic retinopathy
• Diabetic macular edema
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma

After a comprehensive eye exam that includes dilation — a test that uses special eye drops to widen your pupils to see inside your eyes — Dr. Tran can create an individualized management plan.

What are the treatments for diabetic eye disease?

The goal of diabetic eye disease treatment is to manage your symptoms, prevent complications, and reduce your risk of blindness. Dr. Tran may work with your primary care provider to address diabetes.

Common medical treatments for diabetic eye disease include:

• Blood sugar monitoring
• Regular diabetic eye exams
• Diet changes
• Exercise
• Quitting smoking
• Reducing alcohol consumption

Call Stratus Eye today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about diabetic eye disease.