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Schedule An Eye Exam In Iowa City for Diabetic Retinopathy Today
Doctor’s Note: Our top-notch Iowa City eyecare professionals are more than qualified to help you if you think you might be suffering from diabetic retinopathy or any number of other conditions.
Make an eye exam appointment with McDonald Optical today, and we’ll be more than happy to help in any way we can.
What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Chronically elevated levels of sugar in your blood causes inflammation and damage to blood vessels—including the tiny ones which supply blood to your retinas. The retinal tissue can begin to break down and scar when this happens, leading to progressive vision loss.
Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy
- Spots or strings in vision (floaters)
- Blurred vision
- Poor color vision
- Empty areas in vision
- Vision loss
Types of Diabetic retinopathy
Early diabetic retinopathy, also called nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), is the most common form of this condition. It occurs when new blood vessels do not grow in the retina.
Advanced diabetic retinopathy, or proliferative diabetic retinopathy, is more severe. This occurs when damaged blood vessels close off, and new abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina. This form may lead to the retina detaching from the back of the eye or damage the optic nerve, which carries images from the eye to the brain and leads to glaucoma.
Diabetic Retinopathy Treatments
The key to treating diabetic retinopathy is to get it diagnosed early with an eye exam from a trusted eye doctor. Advanced diabetic retinopathy may require prompt surgical treatment.
Early diabetic retinopathy, on the other hand, may not need to be treated immediately. It is best practice to work with an endocrinologist—a diabetes doctor—to improve diabetes management, as reasonable blood sugar control can slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Contact McDonald Optical at (319)-359-3307 or Book Online Here.
Schedule an Appointment with Our Optometrists to Get Computer Vision Relief Today!