What is Diabetic Eye Disease?

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s imperative that you have the condition monitored and managed. Diabetes is a life-threatening condition that can affect many organs of the body, including the eyes. If you do have diabetes, make sure that you tell your optometrist in Coldwater, MS. Diabetes is a risk factor for diabetic eye disease, which puts your eyesight in jeopardy.

What is Diabetic Eye Disease?

Diabetic eye disease is not one particular disease. It’s actually a general term for a collection of eye conditions that can result from diabetes. The group of eye conditions most closely associated with diabetes are:

• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Diabetic Macular Edema

Symptoms of Diabetic Eye Disease

Because diabetic eye disease consists of a group of conditions, there is no one specific set of symptoms. However, generally speaking, all the following symptoms may be indicative of advancing or existing diabetic eye disease:

• Cloudiness of the eye
• Loss of sight in center field of vision
• Increased number of floaters
• Seeing flashes of light
• Patches or spots of black in field of vision
• Trouble seeing at night
• Trouble adjusting to changes in lighting
• Reduce perception of colors
• Blurry vision

Treatment For Diabetic Eye Disease

The best “treatment” for diabetic eye disease is prevention. Barring that, early detection is essential, with an eye exam in Coldwater, MS. Diabetic eye disease is progressive, which means that it comes on over time and worsens the longer it progresses.

Your optometrist has a variety of treatment options once diabetic eye disease is diagnosed. They include things like prescription eye medication, laser treatment and other types of eye surgery. You may also need to consider lifestyle changes, depending upon which eye condition you have and what treatment options are available to you.

Diabetic eye disease is nothing to be trifled with. Each year, people lose all or part of their vision due to diabetic eye disease. If you or your loved one suspects vision problems, or if you notice any of the symptoms listed above, don’t wait until your next appointment date. Contact your optometrist for treatment for eye disease in Coldwater, MS as soon as possible. Your eyesight depends on it.