What are diabetic eye exams?
Patients with diabetes are at an increased risk for severe eye conditions that can significantly impact vision and overall quality of life. These conditions include glaucoma, macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy. If you have diabetes, regular eye exams with a skilled eye doctor are instrumental in detecting and managing the vision complications that often accompany diabetes. Our experienced team at West County Ophthalmology offers the communities of Chesterfield and O'Fallon, MO diabetic eye exams so that patients can be diagnosed and treated for diabetic eye diseases before severe symptoms or irreparable damage to their eye structures affect their ability to see. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it is important that you establish regular appointments with a diabetic eye care specialist like the ones at West County Ophthalmology, who can help you preserve your vision health.
How are diabetic eye exams performed?
Our expert team of vision professionals typically performs a series of different eye exams to check for the various complications that can come with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, such as the slit lamp exam and dilation (to look inside your eyes). These tests are designed to search for signs of diabetic eye complications like glaucoma, macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy, which may affect nearly 30% of diabetics. In addition to these exams, partnering with a primary doctor to help manage your blood sugar levels can help diminish the chances of future vision problems. Sometimes an ophthalmologist is able to detect signs of retinal damage before the patient is aware they have diabetes, so it is essential to have regular eye exams performed even if you have not been diagnosed.
Protect vision with diabetic eye exams
If you or a loved one has diabetes or is at risk for diabetes, regular appointments with an eye professional are crucial to preserving your eye health and preventing complications such as diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and glaucoma. Contact West County Ophthalmology to schedule a diabetic eye exam in Chesterfield or O'Fallon, MO.
