Diabetic Retinopathy in Vestal

Preserve Your Vision With Roberts Eyecare Associates - Vestal

(607) 722-2020

Have diabetes?

Experiencing changes in vision, such as blurriness and eye floaters?

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of vision loss around the world. Of an estimated 285 million people with diabetes mellitus worldwide, approximately one-third have signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Fortunately, there are several steps people with diabetes can take to prevent or minimize vision loss.

Blood sugar level check

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

noraml eye and an eye with diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by high blood sugar levels that damage the small blood vessels clustered within your retina. This leads to swelling or fluid leakage and can result in vision loss and even blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy also raises the risk of retinal detachment and/or glaucoma.

Because the early stages of diabetic retinopathy show no symptoms, many don't realize they have it until the disease has progressed.

If you have diabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. To reduce your risk and protect your vision, schedule an eye exam with Roberts Eyecare Associates - Vestal today.

What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?

diabetic-retinopothy-oct-scan

As mentioned above, the early phase of diabetic retinopathy typically shows no symptoms. This is why it's important to have routine eye exams (all the more so if you have diabetes), as your eye doctor can detect diabetic retinopathy in its earlier stages before symptoms become apparent.

Symptoms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy include:

Blurred vision
Floaters
Double vision
Near vision problems
Seeing dark spots (scotomas)
Difficulty seeing at night

What are the Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Non-Proliferative Retinopathy (early stage):
This occurs when small bulges–or microaneurysms–form in blood vessels and can leak fluid into the retina.

Proliferative Retinopathy (later phase):
This refers to abnormal vessel growth and leakage in the retina. This triggers a variety of vision problems such as blurriness, reduced field of vision, and even blindness.

If you have diabetes, Roberts Eyecare Associates - Vestal in Vestal offers diagnostic tests and treatment options to help preserve your vision. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the treatment outcome.

Diabetic-Retinopathy-Bllod-sugar-level-checker

How Optometrists Diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy

Medical history

Your optometrist will ask about your medical history, including diabetes, as well as your family history of eye conditions.
Dilated pupil exam

Your optometrist will apply eye drops to dilate the pupils so they can see inside the eye and detect any issues.
Fluorescein angiography

This eye test uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid.
Optical coherence tomography

This imaging method shows a cross-section of the retina and can indicate whether vessels are leaking fluid into the retina.

How to Treat Diabetic Retinopathy

senior man with diabetic retinopathy

Treatment begins with managing blood sugar levels and diabetes. This means eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and taking whatever diabetes medication has been prescribed.

Other treatments will depend on the stage or severity of the disease. If caught early, only blood sugar management may be necessary.

However, if you're in a more advanced stage of the diseases, treatment options may include:

Eye medications. Steroid and Anti-VEGF treatments can stop inflammation and prevent the formation of new blood vessels.
Laser surgery. Reduces the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels and swelling in the retina.
Vitrectomy. If you have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, you may need an eye surgery called vitrectomy. This procedure removes scar tissue, blood or fluid, and some of the vitreous gel so light rays can better focus on the retina.

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQs

What are the major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy?

As the name suggests, diabetes is the main risk factor for developing diabetic retinopathy. Be mindful of your family history of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, get an annual eye exam to detect potential problems early.

Other conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Moreover, those of African or Hispanic descent have a higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

There are a number of ways to preserve your vision and reduce the risk of vision and eye damage due to diabetic retinopathy.

Visit your eye doctor for annual eye exams.
Control your blood sugar levels.
Maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Exercise regularly.
Quit smoking.

The best thing you can do right now is to schedule your eye exam with Roberts Eyecare Associates - Vestal in Vestal to ensure that everything is in check.

Does diabetic retinopathy cause blindness?

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness among work-aged adults. It affects one in three people with diabetes and often goes unnoticed at first. Diagnosing and treating the condition early on can prevent severe vision loss.

Meet our Diabetic Retinopathy Specialists

Michael Christensen O.D.

Patient Reviews

- Oct. 11, 2024

Sigh....I don't even know where to begin. My wife and I had an AWFUL experience at another eyecare ... Show Morecenter. I won't name names, but it was right down the road, and I gotta say: after receiving care there, my wife's Vision just doesn't Work(s). The long story made short, we waited a month for what turned out to be a telehealth appointment, which resulted in an improper Rx for my wife. If you call their office, you are sent to a robot call center, never to the actual brick&mortar place itself. So, customer service was horrendous, non-local, and entirely unethical. Then, enter Roberts. I called, they answered - as in, one of the FOUR front desk receptionists who breathe oxygen and likely drink water to perform homeostasis - to schedule my wife and I. You walk in and this place is CLEAN, with wooden ACCENTS and I might even dare say to be somewhat FANCY! But, guess what? They take my insurance. Wow. I have been nursing a scratch on my eye for some time, and my wife was experiencing frequent headaches as a result of her Robot Glasses from...the place down the road. Dr. Bakari Samin attended us in the most professional and friendly manner imaginable. No...one cannot actually imagine such levels of professionalism, this man reached deep into his soul to help us feel heard, reassured, and ultimately cured; heard? I'm telling you, come here for the service. I see a lot of 1-2 star reviews on here that only talk about the prices of eyewear. Anyone who is shocked by retail prices in 2024 have been living under a rock! Take your Rx and go elsewhere, they get it! But come HERE for the service. I asked them if they have a robot and telehealth, and several people there said they came to Roberts to work from other Works of Vision because they DON'T do that complete nonsense. I guarantee if folks wrote reviews based on their experience rather than eyewear prices, they would be 5 star reviews. From Dr. Samin to the wonderful receptionists at the front desk, my family was able to regain the sense of dignity lost last year when we were "taken care of" (more like "Taken Out") at....the other place down the street. Again, not naming names, but if your Vision Works, you should be able to see it from Robert's window, and you'll know where to avoid. I think we found our lifelong eyecare team here at Roberts, which has been serving the southern tier since 1911. You can tell based on the decor they are proud Binghamtonians, and hey, so am I. Thank you.