Anyone suffering from diabetes knows how serious the risks associated with the disease are. Did you know your eyes are especially vulnerable?

A typical eye screening is not a substitute for a full eye exam specifically intended to look for the problems that diabetes can cause. Only an ophthalmologist, like Dr. Brian D. Haas at Boutique Eye Orlando can thoroughly evaluate your eyes for complications from diabetes mellitus.

What are the risks?

Diabetes can harm the eye by damaging tiny blood vessels in your retina, creating a condition known as diabetic retinopathy. When that happens, your vision can become blurred, or you could experience a loss of vision that happens slowly, over time. You may also see floaters (tiny particles that drift inside the eye) or shadows, you might have trouble seeing at night, or you may end up with blind spots.

If the condition worsens, you may experience complete blindness, which is far from rare- diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness between Americans aged to 20 to 74. The risk is quite real.

Diabetics are also susceptible to cataracts (a clouding of the eye lens), glaucoma (increased pressure on the eye), or retinal detachment (scarring that can detach the retina from the back of the eye).

How will I know?

Eye problems associated with diabetes so often lead to blindness precisely because the symptoms are so hard to recognize. Many simply don’t realize that their eyes are deteriorating. Sometimes, symptoms may not even appear until the eye starts to bleed.

This is why regular eye screenings by ophthalmologist Dr. Haas for diabetics are so important.

What’s the difference between a regular eye exam and a diabetic screening?

During diabetic eye screening, ophthalmologist Dr. Brian Haas will measure fluid pressure, check for structures in the eye, and check and photograph the retina. While general eye exams target the general health of the eye, exams for people with diabetes are specifically designed to catch complications caused by diabetes. Should we find anything abnormal, we’ll relay our findings directly to your primary care doctor or endocrinologist.

What should I do?

If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, you’re at risk for diabetic retinopathy. Don’t wait- call us to schedule your screening, and take the first step towards taking control of your eye health.