What to Expect During a Diabetic Eye Exam
Diabetes can cause issues with your retina and other parts of your eye, making regular diabetic eye exams crucial to your vision health. If you’ve never had a diabetic eye exam, you may be wondering what to expect.
Retinopathy and Diabetes
Retinopathy is an eye condition that affects individuals with diabetes. It occurs when the eye blood vessels begin to leak, and if not treated, the leakage can worsen and lead to blindness. With annual eye exams, we can detect early signs of this serious eye disease, which can lead to vision loss.
What is a Diabetic Eye Exam?
When it comes to a diabetic eye exam, the scope and length will depend on your specific condition. Your eye doctor at Dittman Eyecare will determine the tests that are necessary to evaluate and manage your individual condition.
For patients who have just been diagnosed with diabetes, their testing will be different from someone who has had a diabetes diagnosis for years. Your diabetic eye exam is used to detect signs of eye issues caused by diabetes. If you’ve been diagnosed with signs of diabetic retinopathy before, you can expect to receive a more extensive eye exam.
What Tests and Procedures are Performed During a Diabetic Eye Exam?
During a diabetic eye exam, your eye doctor will perform several tests, including a visual acuity test. This is used to determine the clarity of your vision since diabetes can cause changes in the eyes affecting your vision.
We may also perform a refraction test to determine if your vision has been reduced since your last examination. Your doctor may perform a fundoscopy, where the fundus or back of the eyeball is examined. They may also dilate your pupils to get a better view.
What Will My Doctor Check for During a Diabetic Eye Exam?
Your doctor at Dittman Eyecare will use your diabetic eye exam to check for eye health problems that are commonly associated with diabetes. We will focus on conditions such as:
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Retinopathy
- Diabetic macular edema- causes macula swelling and blurry vision.
When Should I Get a Diabetic Eye Exam?
If you are an adult with type 1 diabetes, you will require an eye exam five years after your diagnosis and every year after that. Adults with type 2 diabetes should have their eye exam shortly after their diagnosis.
If you are a woman who is planning on getting pregnant, we recommend you have an eye exam prior to conceiving. After this period, you should have another eye exam within the first three months of the pregnancy and then one year after you’ve given birth.
Once you’ve had your initial
diabetic eye exam, we recommend an annual eye exam. It’s crucial to have your eyes examined regularly when you have diabetes, as the eyes are the first organs affected when you have diabetes.
Schedule Your Diabetic Eye Exam Today!
Contact Dittman Eyecare today to schedule your diabetic eye exam.
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