Diabetic Eye Care

About 33% of people with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy or a complication from the disease, which is why diabetic eye care is absolutely crucial for everyone with diabetes. At Retina Consultants of Austin, with offices in Austin, Lakeway, Marble Falls, and Round Rock, Texas, the diabetic eye disease specialists offer comprehensive care to prevent complications. Call the nearest office or schedule an appointment online for help today. 

What is diabetic eye care?

Diabetic eye care is comprehensive eye care for patients with all types of diabetes. At Retina Consultants of Austin, the providers have extensive experience in preventing, diagnosing, and treating the problems that diabetes can cause within the eyes.

How does diabetes affect the eyes?

Diabetes can damage your nerves and blood vessels, and sometimes in the eyes before affecting other parts of the body.

Uncontrolled diabetes may lead to diabetic retinopathy, the most common diabetic eye disease. It affects about one-third of people with diabetes. In diabetic retinopathy, blood vessel damage in the retina leads to bleeding, circulation issues, and potentially vision loss if untreated.

Additionally, diabetes can cause diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma if blood sugar remains uncontrolled for a prolonged period. 

What does diabetic eye care include?

At Retina Consultants of Austin, the diabetic eye care specialists offer all-encompassing ocular care for people with diabetes, including: 

Checkups

Diabetic eye exams are similar to regular eye exams, and include a comprehensive evaluation of your eye health and vision. Additionally, diabetic eye exams include a detailed exam of the retina (the tissues that draw light into the back of your eye) and the blood vessels around it. 

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of diabetic eye disease starts with dilating eye drops that widen your pupils, which allows your provider to view the retina close-up. You may also need an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan, an imaging technique that evaluates your retina on a cellular level to check for issues like bleeding, swelling, and poor circulation. 

Additionally, you may need a fluorescein angiogram, in which a fluorescent dye injected in your arm vein highlights unhealthy blood vessels and blood flow issues in the retina. Fluorescein angiography helps determine the stage of diabetic retinopathy. 

Treatment 

Retina Consultants of Austin offers several treatment options for diabetic eye diseases, including photocoagulation to close leaking blood vessels and injections to prevent abnormal blood vessel growth. 

Additionally, they offer vitrectomy, a surgery that removes excess fluid, scar tissue, and blood from the back of your eye to restore retina function.

Retina Consultants of Austin can treat diabetic eye disease effectively with diabetic eye care. Call the nearest office or schedule an appointment online today to learn more.