Protecting Your Eyes With Diabetes

/0 Comments/in , /by

Did you know that diabetes can have a significant negative impact on your eyesight? Diabetes is a serious disease, and it increases the chances of you losing some or all of your vision. If you or a loved one has diabetes or even pre-diabetes, it’s important to be proactive about protecting your eyes. Don’t wait until something happens and you find yourself wishing you’d run to your optometrist in Champaign, IL sooner. Start today.

Monitor Your Blood Sugar Levels

Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is one of the most effective ways to safeguard your eyes. High blood sugar can damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina, leading to conditions such as diabetic retinopathy. Consistently managing your diabetes through diet, exercise and medication, as instructed by your primary care physician may reduce this risk.

Schedule Regular Diabetic Eye Exams

Annual diabetic eye exams in Champaign, IL are crucial for individuals with diabetes. These exams allow your optometrist to detect early signs of diabetic eye diseases, such as swelling, leaking blood vessels or abnormal growths. Early detection enables timely treatment and helps prevent vision loss.

Tell Your Optometrist About Your Condition

Every time you visit an eye doctor, you need to speak up for yourself and let them know you have diabetes. This will alert them to your condition so they can be extra alert for the telltale signs that diabetes is damaging your eyes. Even if you’ve already mentioned it during past visits, don’t you think it makes sense to be doubly sure?

Wear Protective Eyewear

People with diabetes are more susceptible to eye infections and injuries. Wearing sunglasses with UV protection outdoors and safety glasses when engaging in hazardous activities can help shield your eyes from potential harm.

If you’d like more support in taking care of your eyes with diabetes, we’d be happy to help. Contact Champaign Eye Professionals today to book an eye exam.

Subtle Signs of Diabetic Retinopathy

/0 Comments/in /by

Having comprehensive eye exams in Champaign, IL is essential in preventing eye damage from diseases like macular degeneration, diabetic neuropathy and more. These disease threaten vision like nobody’s business, but with regular checkups, the damage can be kept to a minimum. The earlier that diseases like diabetic neuropathy are diagnosed, the better off you’ll be. Here are some subtle signs of diabetic neuropathy to be on the lookout for:

Blurry or Distorted Vision

One of the first signs of diabetic retinopathy is blurred or distorted vision. You may notice that straight lines appear wavy, or that objects are not as clear as they used to be. This happens when damaged blood vessels in the retina leak fluid, leading to swelling and affecting how light enters the eye.

Difficulty Seeing at Night

Diabetic retinopathy can cause changes in your ability to see clearly in low-light conditions. If you find it increasingly difficult to drive at night or navigate dimly lit spaces, it could be due to damage in the retina’s light-sensitive cells.

Spots or Floaters in Your Vision

Floaters are small spots or strings that seem to float across your vision. These are caused by tiny blood vessels leaking into the vitreous humor, the gel-like substance in the eye. Although occasional floaters are normal, an increase in their frequency or size can be a sign of diabetic retinopathy.

Since diabetic retinopathy often develops without noticeable symptoms in the early stages, routine eye exams are crucial for those with diabetes. Early detection and treatment can prevent significant vision loss. If you notice any of these subtle signs, schedule an eye exam with your eye doctor as soon as possible. Book an appointment today with Champaign Eye Professionals, your optometrists in Champaign, IL.

How Diabetes Poses a Threat to Eyesight

/0 Comments/in /by

Millions of people around the world have diabetes, either Type I or Type II. Those same millions of people are living with the threat of damage to their eyesight, due to the underlying disease of diabetes. It doesn’t matter whether a person has one type or the other; the risk is the same. If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, you should be seen by an optometrist in Champaign, IL for a comprehensive eye exam. During this appointment, the eye doctor will determine if your eyes are damaged or on the cusp of being damaged.

Diabetic Retinopathy

There is such a thing as diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that damages the blood vessels in the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. When blood sugar levels are consistently high, these vessels can swell, leak or even close off, leading to vision problems that will almost certainly impact the way you’re able to live your life.

Diabetic Macular Edema, Cataracts and Glaucoma

That’s not all. Another condition associated with diabetes is diabetic macular edema, where fluid builds up in the central part of the retina (called the macula), further impairing vision. People with diabetes are also at higher risk for cataracts and glaucoma, both of which can damage vision. Glaucoma often has no outward symptoms, so this one in particular is one to be wary of.

Managing Diabetes

You don’t have to suffer vision loss on account of your diabetes. It’s manageable if you follow your primary physician’s orders, and check in regularly with your optometrist in Champaign, IL for comprehensive eye exams. If you have any questions about how diabetes affects your vision, please don’t hesitate to ask. In the meantime, contact us today to book your next appointment.

Best Ways to Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy

/0 Comments/in /by

If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, your Champaign, IL optometrist wants you to know that you carry a higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy than others. Diabetic retinopathy is a disease that threatens your vision. Left undiagnosed and untreated, you could go completely blind, and there may be little to nothing done to reverse it. As with other diseases, the best course of action is to prevent it from happening to begin with. Here are some of the best ways to prevent diabetic retinopathy.

Have Frequent Eye Exams

When you have diabetes, it’s imperative to see your optometrist more than once a year. If you make visits once every three months, early signs of the development of diabetic retinopathy are more likely to be picked up. If anything is found, then preventative treatment can begin.

Manage the Underlying Condition

As well as seeing your optometrist more often, you should be sure to visit your treating physician for diabetes as directed. This will ensure that the underlying condition is being properly managed and, hopefully, doesn’t worsen.

Follow Recommendations

Whether recommendations are coming from your optometrist or from your general practitioner, it’s essential that you follow their instructions for managing your diabetes or pre-diabetes at home. If you cheat and continue to overeat sugar, continue to drink, smoke or skip injections, you’re only cheating yourself and increasing the odds of developing diabetic retinopathy. If you need help altering your lifestyle and changing bad habits, contact professionals who can help with tips and resources.

Your vision is priceless and it’s important that you do everything you can to protect and preserve it. Use this advice to help you prevent diabetic retinopathy in Champaign, IL from stealing your eyesight. Contact your optometrist today to book your next eye exam and to learn more.

3 Signs of Diabetic Retinopathy

/0 Comments/in /by

Having comprehensive eye exams in Champaign, IL is essential in preventing eye damage from diseases like macular degeneration, diabetic neuropathy and more. These disease threaten vision like nobody’s business, but with regular checkups, the damage can be kept to a minimum. The earlier that diseases like diabetic neuropathy are diagnosed, the better off you’ll be. Here are some subtle signs of diabetic neuropathy to be on the lookout for:

Blurry or Distorted Vision

One of the first signs of diabetic retinopathy is blurred or distorted vision. You may notice that straight lines appear wavy, or that objects are not as clear as they used to be. This happens when damaged blood vessels in the retina leak fluid, leading to swelling and affecting how light enters the eye.

Difficulty Seeing at Night

Diabetic retinopathy can cause changes in your ability to see clearly in low-light conditions. If you find it increasingly difficult to drive at night or navigate dimly lit spaces, it could be due to damage in the retina’s light-sensitive cells.

Spots or Floaters in Your Vision

Floaters are small spots or strings that seem to float across your vision. These are caused by tiny blood vessels leaking into the vitreous humor, the gel-like substance in the eye. Although occasional floaters are normal, an increase in their frequency or size can be a sign of diabetic retinopathy.

Since diabetic retinopathy often develops without noticeable symptoms in the early stages, routine eye exams are crucial for those with diabetes. Early detection and treatment can prevent significant vision loss. If you notice any of these subtle signs, schedule an eye exam with your eye doctor as soon as possible. Book an appointment today with Champaign Eye Professionals, your optometrists in Champaign, IL.

Does Diabetes Always Lead to Blindness?

/0 Comments/in /by

Diabetic retinopathy is a terrible disease that can lead to impaired vision or even blindness. But just because a person has diabetes doesn’t mean this condition will always lead to developing diabetic retinopathy. If you’re concerned about the health of your eyes, you should visit your optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam in Champaign, IL. During the course of this exam, your eye doctor will look for signs of diabetic retinopathy.

How Does Diabetic Retinopathy Occur?

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Over time, this damage can cause the blood vessels to leak fluid or bleed, leading to vision problems. In advanced stages, diabetic retinopathy can cause severe vision loss or even blindness.

Reducing the Odds of Blindness With Diabetes

There are several preventative steps that a person can take to reduce the odds of blindness with diabetes:

Manage Diabetes

If you have a diagnosis of diabetes, it’s important to manage the disease under a doctor’s care. Your eye doctor can help with vision issues, but the underlying disease of diabetes may require treatment. The worst thing you can do is ignore diabetes since managing it is key to eye health.

Regular Eye Exams

Most people require annual eye exams. But if you have diabetes, you should come in for an eye exam at least twice a year or more. This simple step helps you and your eye doctor to stay on top of developing symptoms so treatment plans can be made and implemented.

It’s important to note that diabetes can also increase the risk of other eye conditions besides diabetic retinopathy, such as cataracts and glaucoma. Like diabetic retinopathy, these conditions can lead to vision problems or blindness if left untreated. Contact your Champaign, IL eye doctor today to book an appointment.

Can Diabetes Affect Your Eyesight?

/0 Comments/in , /by

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide. One of the lesser-known complications of diabetes is its effect on your eyesight. In this article, we will discuss how diabetes can affect your eyes and what you can do to prevent and manage diabetic-related eye problems.

The experienced team at Champaign Eye Professionals of Champaign, IL, is proud to serve the local community with premium eye care services, including treating and diagnosing issues that relate to diabetes, regardless of their severity.

What are Diabetic Related Eye Problems?

Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the eyes, leading to several eye problems, including:

  1. Diabetic retinopathy – a condition that damages the blood vessels in the retina and can cause vision loss.
  2. Diabetic macular edema – swelling in the macula, which can cause blurry vision and potentially lead to vision loss.
  3. Glaucoma – a condition that damages the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss if left untreated.

The symptoms of diabetic-related eye problems can vary depending on the condition, but common symptoms include the following:

  • Blurred or distorted vision
  • Eye floaters or spots
  • Eye pain or pressure
  • Difficulty seeing in low light
  • Loss of peripheral vision

Your Quality Eye Care Provider

We understand the importance of early detection and treatment of diabetic-related eye problems. Our team of experienced professionals uses the latest technology and techniques to diagnose and treat these conditions effectively. Our clinic is also dedicated to educating and supporting our patients to help them manage their diabetes and reduce their risk of developing eye problems. Our goal is to provide quality care and ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients.

During your next appointment with the trained team at Champaign Eye Professionals of Champaign, IL, you can be confident that you are receiving the best care and guidance you and your family deserve.

Development of Diabetic Retinopathy

/0 Comments/in /by

Diabetic retinopathy is a serious condition that causes eye damage. It can lead to partial or full vision loss, but can be prevented with proper management and early detection by youreye doctor in Champaign, IL . The condition can affect anyone with diabetes.

Development of diabetic retinopathy begins with damage to the tiny blood vessels in the eye, known as microaneurysms. These may leak fluid into the retina. This fluid can then build up, and it can even damage the optic nerve. When this occurs, people with diabetic retinopathy need to see an eye specialist as soon as possible, if they haven’t already.

Surgery May be Needed

Some new blood vessels form in the macula, which is the part of the retina responsible for central vision. The new blood vessels grow and leak easily, which can interfere with the normal flow of fluid out of the eye. If this happens, patients need to undergo surgery to seal these leaks.

Diabetes a Major Factor

Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy are at high risk for loss of sight. In some cases, this condition can progress to the point where it can cause scar tissue to form on the back of the eye, which can detach the retina.

Risk Factors For Diabetic Retinopathy

Various risk factors are associated with the development of diabetic retinopathy. People with an untreated or unknown condition of diabetes are at higher risk, as are those who have certain genetic predispositions. Those who have suffered with more than 15 years of diabetes are at an even higher risk.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs in both type 1 and type 2 diabetics. Although there are different treatment options for the disease, the goal is to prevent it from causing any visual impairment. For acomprehensive eye exam in Champaign, IL, where the development of diabetic retinopathy may be detected, please contact our office today.

What Is a Diabetic Eye Exam?  

/0 Comments/in /by

Have you been recently diagnosed with diabetes? If so, then you may need a diabetic eye exam. At Champaign Eye Professionals, we offer eye exams that look inside the eye. We can catch a variety of conditions that often impact people with diabetes. To schedule your eye exam, contact your trusted eye doctor in Champaign, IL.

What Is a Diabetic Eye Exam?

A diabetic eye exam is an eye exam that looks into the eyes to check for diseases that disproportionately affect people with diabetes. These conditions include glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic eye exams can help catch these conditions in their early stages, which can help save the patient’s vision.

What Happens During a Diabetic Eye Exam?

During a diabetic eye exam, the eye doctor will dilate your eyes to look inside for signs of conditions like glaucoma. Your eye doctor may also use a test called fluorescein angiography to check for damaged blood vessels in the eyes.

Why Is It Important to Get a Diabetic Eye Exam?

Some high-risk conditions, like glaucoma, display few or no symptoms when in the early stages. The only way to find out if you also have a condition like glaucoma is to go to the eye doctor.

If you do have this condition, your eye doctor can work with you to keep your condition under control. While there is no cure for glaucoma, treatments can slow the progression of the symptoms.

Need a diabetic eye exam in Champaign, IL? Contact Champaign Eye Professionals. We offer comprehensive eye exams in Champaign, IL, to help patients like you maintain healthy eyes. Call today to get on the schedule!