Diabetes is a disease that affects blood vessels throughout the body, particularly vessels in the kidneys and eyes. When the blood vessels in the eyes are affected, this is called diabetic retinopathy, known as diabetic eye disease. Diabetic eye disease is one of the most frequent causes of blindness in this country. This form of blindness is completely preventable with proper control of diabetes and with yearly eye examinations through dilated pupils.

There are usually no symptoms in the early stages and vision may not change until the diabetic eye disease becomes severe. An exam is often the only way to diagnose changes in the vessels of your eyes. This is why regular examinations for people with diabetes are extremely important.

We test for damage with a fluorescein angiography. During the test, a harmless dye is injected into a vein in your arm. The dye travels through your body to the blood vessels in your retina. A special camera is used to take multiple photographs of your eye. The pictures are then analyzed to identify any damage to the lining or the retina or atypical new blood vessels.

Diabetic retinopathy does not usually impair sight until the development of long-term complications. When an advanced stage of diabetic eye disease occurs a laser is used to destroy all of the dead areas of the retina where blood vessels have been closed. When these areas are treated with the laser, the retina stops manufacturing new blood vessels and those that are already present tend to decrease or disappear.

If you have diabetes, contact Dr. Richard Roth to schedule a consultation to check for diabetic eye disease.