Diabetic Eye Diseases and Treatments

Diabetic eye diseases are caused when blood sugar levels are too high. Vision can diminish with diabetes, due to damage in fragile vessels in the eye or increased fluids and pressure causing eye pain. Treatments are available at Perrysburg Eye Center to control vision loss due to the effects of diabetes. Most importantly, limiting the duration of untreated diabetic eye disease can control damage to effective vision. Dilated eye exams, performed by a medical doctor or doctor of optometry, can help to minimize vision loss due to diabetes.

Common Diabetic Eye Diseases Include:

Cataracts

The fogging of what should be a clear lens of the eye. Diabetic patients are prone to cataracts at a far earlier age than the general population. Blurry vision is the primary symptom of cataracts and surgery by skilled medical doctors, like the staff at Perrysburg Eye Center, is the treatment to remedy this condition.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Light sensitive tissues and miniature blood vessels at the back of the eye are damaged. This condition is a leading cause of blindness in developed nations, and can be regulated with the intervention of experienced eye doctors, like the staff of doctors at Perrysburg Eye Center. Symptoms include floaters (small black objects seem to float across the field of vision), dark areas occurring in normal scenes, distorted vision, and difficulty perceiving color. Treatments include surgery or laser therapy performed by professionally certified and licensed medical eye care experts.

Glaucoma

Naturally occurring fluid in the eye fails to drain properly, allowing pressure to build up, damaging nerves and tiny vessels in the eye. As a result of this untreated condition vision is diminished. Symptoms can include eye pain, headache, and distorted vision. Left untreated, vision loss occurs. Perrysburg Eye Center can control or reverse this condition with properly prescribed medications, laser treatments, or surgery.

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

Tiny blood vessels in the eye leak because they are damaged or blocked. This fluid causes swelling in the macula, a miniscule spot located near the back of the eye. Symptomatically, blurring occurs in the central visual field. Untreated cases of DME can cause blindness. Treatments include medicines prescribed by eye care professionals, steroids to reduce the swelling, or laser treatments to seal up the blood vessels.