We help manage this damaging eye disease in Colorado Springs
Diabetic retinopathy, a disease that only affects people with diabetes, occurs when the delicate vascular network of the retina begins to leak or swell. The retina is made up of light-sensitive tissue that helps you see; when it is damaged, your vision is impaired. Our eye doctors at Executive Park Eye Care will examine your eyes thoroughly during a comprehensive eye exam to check for signs of this disease. During the early stages, diabetic retinopathy is often symptomless and only a complete evaluation of your ocular health will identify the disease.
As diabetic retinopathy progresses and the retinal bleeding becomes more severe, dark or black spots or blurry vision may appear in your visual field. This bleeding occurs at the back of your eye, and therefore clear images cannot be conveyed from the retina to your brain.
It doesn’t matter what type of diabetes you have, anyone with type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes is at risk for retinopathy. The risk increases with the amount of time that you’ve had diabetes. Poorly controlled diabetes raises your risk even higher, and therefore it’s critical to maintain blood sugar levels as normal as possible. Regular visits to your primary care physician and/or your endocrinologist may be need to help you keep your diabetes controlled properly.
Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment offered at our Colorado Springs optometry practice
A cure for retinopathy does not yet exist, yet the earlier it is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat.
When done before the retina has suffered extreme damage, photocoagulation (a laser treatment performed by an ophthalmologist) generally has a high success rate at preventing vision loss. Another medical procedure that often improves vision is a vitrectomy, in which the vitreous gel of your eye is removed surgically. When diabetic retinopathy is very advanced, injections of a medicine that shrinks new blood vessels may be done.
If you’ve been treated for diabetic retinopathy, you’ll need to visit an eye doctor for frequent eye exams and monitoring. In our Colorado Springs clinic, our optometrists will help manage your condition by keeping a watch for any changes. Additionally, it’s very important that you control your blood sugars well. Together, regular eye exams and good glucose control go far towards preventing retinopathy from getting worse.
