Preserve Your Vision With Memorial Eye Center - Gessner

Diabetic Retinopathy in Mid-West

Preserve Your Vision With Memorial Eye Center - Gessner

(713) 975-9393

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 Memorial Eye Center - Gessner 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, Memorial Eye Center - Gessner in Mid-West 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 Memorial Eye Center - Gessner in Mid-West 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.

Patient Reviews
4.5
358 Reviews
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- Sep. 22, 2024
Great friendly staff. Amazing facility and great doctors
- Sep. 22, 2024
Great caring staff and providers
- Aug. 21, 2024
Great doctor and great staff. Very friendly
- Aug. 16, 2024
(Translated by Google) Excellent service, all the staff in general (Original) Excelente atención,t... odo el personal en general
- May. 17, 2024
They are amazing!
- May. 01, 2024
My first time at Memorial after years of having a family eye doctor out of state. The staff & Dr. Ch... uang were reassuring & professional. I recommend them.
- Apr. 15, 2024
A hidden gem of a Dr office. Professional and polite. Staff was courteous and did everything possibl... e to save me as much money. Usually I get bombarded with extra add ons and charges. Prices are reasonable and worked with my insurance. Doctor listened to what I said and now I can see without a headache. Will be making this my standard office from now on for glasses and contacts.
- Mar. 29, 2024
Dr. Janne Chuang is a great Optometrist! I visited for the first time and she was very thorough and ... kind! Her staff was amazing as well!
- Feb. 29, 2024
First time coming here and was welcome wonderfully and was cared for, answered all my questions
- Feb. 24, 2024
Its a great place to visit and very hospitable.
- Jan. 02, 2024
The staff is very friendly and helpful. Dr. Chuang was very sweet and thorough my prescription is pe... rfect and the staff was sure to guide me in the right direction!
- Dec. 29, 2023
Jackie provided exceptional customer service to assure that my eye emergency would be addressed and ... was able to schedule my appointment in a timely manner. The gentleman who checked me in provided customer service that is not provided by other healthcare facilities too often. From start to finish during my contact with this eye care office I am very pleased with my experience and I look forward to continuing my eye health care here.
- Dec. 26, 2023
Amazing staff. Got me in fast for an appointment. No wait. Comprehensive exam and accurate assessmen... t. And it definitely does not smell bad like another reviewer wrote.
- Dec. 05, 2023
Had a great first visit to this location. The team was very friendly and knowledgeable. Dr. To was v... ery thorough with my exam and gave great advice and recommendations. Thanks so much!
- Jul. 26, 2023
Pleasant helpful and knowledgeable staff
- Jul. 07, 2023
Always loved this place. The entire staff was awesome on my recent visit. The Dr didn't let me leave... til I understood any advice & options she had regarding eye condition. They were worth the travel.
- Jun. 26, 2023
The experience was amazing. The staff is top notice and all my questions and concerns were addressed... in a respectful way.
- Jun. 20, 2023
I had an absolutely wonderful experience at Memorial Eye in Westchase. They are so kind, knowledgeab... le, thorough, and professional - when it comes to both eye health and eyeglass selection. I came in for my *first* pair of progressive lenses, carrying with me the apprehension and concern that comes with it. But let me tell you, my experience, and my new progressive lenses and frames, are an absolute DELIGHT. It was actually a fun and affirming experience. Great job to Dr Chuang and my optician.
- Jun. 19, 2023
Very friendly and professional. Highly recommended.
- Jun. 04, 2023
Modern technology, very friendly and professional, large selection of frames, I’m their customer f... or couple of years now.

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Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Mid-West

Our optometry practice in Mid-West

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Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

(713) 975-9393