14 𝘕𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2023

CAN AN EYE EXAM DETECT DIABETES?

Eye exams play an important role in your eye health, helping your optometrist diagnose eye conditions and test your vision. Your optometrist can identify many eye-related issues during your exam, but what about diabetes? Eye exams can detect more medical conditions than you think, including those that may not seem eye related. These exams can detect diabetes, even if someone hasn’t been diagnosed before.

While your optometrist won’t know if you have diabetes by simply testing your vision, comprehensive eye exams include a detailed look at the various structures of your eyes, which may then indicate possible diabetic changes.

Your optometrist completes a detailed eye health evaluation during your exam, looking at the eye’s internal structures through a powerful microscope and fundus camera. They can examine many parts of the eye, including your retina and optic nerve. Looking at ocular structures can help identify several eye diseases, like glaucoma or cataracts.

Your optometrist may identify diabetes by looking at the retina’s blood vessels. These tiny vessels can leak fluid or blood when you have diabetic retinopathy, which only develops when you have diabetes. Some patients may develop this condition before they’re officially diagnosed with diabetes.

DIABETES CAN PUT YOU AT RISK OF EYE DISEASE

Anyone with diabetes is at risk of developing diabetic eye disease, a term to describe eye conditions caused by diabetes.

High blood sugar can damage several ocular structures. When this happens, you’re at risk of several eye conditions, including:

Cataracts: A cataract is the clouding of your eye’s natural lens, occurring when proteins in this lens breakdown. This creates the dull clouds of a cataract. If left untreated, cataracts can lead to severe vision loss.
Glaucoma: Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve. When the optic nerve experiences damage, it can lead to severe vision loss, even blindness. Your risk of certain types of glaucoma can be up to twice as high if you have diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy: Diabetic retinopathy is a specific to diabetic patients. It occurs when damaged blood vessels in the retina leak fluid and blood into the eye. As this disease progresses, it can lead to further damage, scar tissue, and other complications.
Diabetic macular edema: Diabetic macular edema can develop from diabetic retinopathy. This condition occurs when fluid from the retina pools under the macula. This swelling in the macula can lead to severe central vision loss.

REGULAR EYE EXAMS FOR DIABETES MANAGEMENT

Diabetes increases your risk of eye disease, but we as optometrists are here to help. Regular eye exams can help identify eye problems as early as possible. Your optometrist can identify eye conditions sooner and help prevent unnecessary vision loss.

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☎️ 023 342 5827
📧 optom@vls.co.za
📱 066 335 9192