Ridgewood optometrist
For people suffering from diabetes it is imperative that they maintain good eye health. Our
Ridgewood optometrist at Vista Vision Optical will perform a diabetic eye exam that looks for diabetic retinopathy as well as many other serious eye diseases. Actually, an examination from our doctor has several different functions. The comprehensive exam will measure your visual acuity and then our doctor will check for and prescribe any needed vision corrections. During the dilated portion of the exam our doctor will look at the structure of your eyes to check for any abnormalities.
One such serious eye disease is diabetic retinopathy, which is usually found among patients that suffer from diabetes, an inability of the body to control the amount of sugar in the blood. Diabetic retinopathy is a disorder where abnormalities develop in the blood vessels that feed the light sensitive retina. These abnormal blood vessels may start to leak affecting vision and eventually leading to a loss of vision. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in adults under the age of 65. A diabetic eye exam from our Ridgewood optometrist is the only way to detect the disorder before vision is seriously impacted. During a dilated eye exam our doctor will look for signs of abnormal blood vessels leading to the retina, swelling or blood in the retina or surrounding tissues including the vitreous, the growth of new blood vessels, and retinal detachment.
A diabetic eye exam from our
Ridgewood optometrist may also include fluorecein angiography where our doctor will take pictures of your eyes and retina during the dilated exam and then inject a dye in your arm and take another set of photos as the dye travels through the blood vessels to check for any closed, broken vessels or leaking fluid. Another test is an optical coherence tomography, which shows cross sections of the retina to determine if fluid has leaked into the retinal tissue. Treatment for diabetic retinopathy depends on the severity of the case. Our doctors will work with the patient’s endocrinologist to better control the underlying diabetes. In more severe cases laser surgery to stop leakages and shrink abnormal vessels may be used. The best treatment is early detection through an annual comprehensive eye exam, so call our office for an appointment.
By Vista Vision Optical
December 29, 2017
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