Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month

November is the official month for diabetic eye disease awareness. If you or a loved one is diabetic, you should be aware that it could bring difficulties in your sight. At Reeve Woods Eye Center in Chico & Paradise, we can do a comprehensive diabetic eye exam to get the timely treatment you need from an eye doctor to preserve your vision.

What are Diabetic Eye Diseases?

There are three main eye diseases that are caused by both type 1 and type 2 diabetes: diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common and it is the leading cause of blindness in diabetics. Cataracts are when the lens of the eye is cloudy to inhibit sight, and glaucoma damages the optic nerve, causing some vision loss and even complete blindness. All three of these diseases can be caught in an early stage with a diabetic eye exam by a trained optometrist.

What are the Symptoms of Diabetic Eye Disease? 

In the early stages of diabetic eye disease, there are usually no symptoms until it starts to impact your vision. You may at first see floating objects across your line of vision that are caused by the bleeding behind your eye. Fluid retention in the eye's macula can cause blurred vision also.

What are the Treatments for Diabetic Eye Disease?

The best treatment is actually prevention by controlling your blood glucose levels with your doctor's help in diet and medication. If you are not in advanced stages of eye disease, you may be able to have laser treatment to reduce the leaking from your damaged blood vessels. In more advanced cases, you may actually need eye surgery to remove scar tissue and excess blood from your eyes.

Trust the Professionals in Chico and Paradise

You should only trust your diabetic eye care to the experienced professionals at Reeve Woods Eye Center in Chico & Paradise for an annual comprehensive eye exam. Your vision is precious and we treat you like family. Call to schedule an annual exam for diabetic eye care today. Your eyes will thank you.