Diabetic Eye Care
- Home
-
- Diabetic Eye Care
Protect Your Vision
How Diabetes Affects the Eyes
Diabetes can quietly damage the tiny blood vessels in your retina, leading to vision problems if left untreated. Regular eye exams and early detection are essential to prevent complications like diabetic retinopathy, preserve healthy sight, and protect your independence for years to come.
Glucose and Health
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition when the body is unable to properly process the food we eat. Normally, our body metabolizes food and sugar into glucose, which is the essential source of energy for the cells in our body. When the body is unable to correctly metabolize the food we eat, blood glucose levels rise higher than normal. As a result, the excess glucose levels in the blood can lead to dangerous complications.
Protect Your Vision from Diabetes
Regular eye exams are vital for patients with diabetes. Early detection of retinal damage can prevent vision loss and safeguard long-term sight.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Elevated blood glucose levels in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes damage the blood vessels in the retina leading to diabetic retinopathy. Eventually, macular tissue swelling, internal bleeding, and interruption of retinal blood flow can occur with profound effects on visual function. Any patient with diabetes should be routinely checked with a complete dilated retina examination and treated before any visual damage occurs.
Symptoms include:
- Eye pain
- Double vision
- Cataracts
- Fluctuating vision or prescription changes
- Image distortion
- Spots in vision
What is Diabetic Eye Disease?
In diabetes, high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels in the retina. Early detection of retina damage in diabetic retinopathy is critical in protecting and preserving your vision. Diabetic retinopathy causes macular edema, retina and vitreous hemorrhage, and in the severe cases tractional retinal detachments and neovascular glaucoma.
Diabetic Eye Exams
Diabetic Eye Exam Many of the physical changes in diabetic retinopathy occur before there are any eye symptoms. The prognosis is best if diabetic retinopathy is caught and treated early during routine diabetic eye examinations.
In cases where diabetic retinopathy threatens vision, non-surgical treatment options include intravitreal injections and retina laser.
If you are at risk for diabetic retinopathy, schedule a consultation at Desert Vision Center by calling (760) 340-4700
Frequently Asked Questions:
Diabetic Eye Care
Diabetes can damage small blood vessels in the retina, leading to swelling, bleeding, or scarring. Over time, this condition—called diabetic retinopathy—can cause vision loss if not detected and treated early.
Symptoms may include blurry vision, dark spots, fluctuating prescriptions, double vision, or trouble seeing at night. However, diabetic retinopathy often develops silently, which is why regular eye exams are so important.
Most patients with diabetes should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Depending on your condition, Dr. Tokuhara may recommend more frequent monitoring.
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and may include in-office injections, retinal laser therapy, or surgery in advanced cases. The goal is to prevent progression and protect remaining vision.
While not always preventable, managing blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol can significantly lower your risk. Combined with regular exams and early intervention, many patients are able to maintain healthy vision.
Attention Patients
Dear Valued Patients of Desert Vision Center,
Dr. Tokuhara is a highly skilled cataract surgeon, specializing in advanced anterior segment surgeries, including complex glaucoma and cataract procedures. He focuses on patients who need surgical intervention or are at risk of severe vision loss.
While Dr. Tokuhara offers comprehensive eye care for his own surgical patients, he does not provide general eye care or post-operative care for patients of other surgeons. When you choose Dr. Tokuhara, he becomes your trusted eye doctor for life.
A Note About Ethical Care
In our community, some providers engage in illegal financial kickbacks, accepting payments for cataract surgery referrals. Desert Vision Center firmly rejects this unethical practice. We follow the highest ethical standards, complying with the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law, ensuring that your care is never influenced by financial incentives.
We believe referrals should always be based on what’s best for the patient not financial gain. If you’re being evaluated for cataract surgery, we encourage you to ask questions and be mindful of these referral arrangements.
Choose the surgeon who prioritizes your vision and your well-being not one chosen for someone else’s profit.
Sincerely,
Desert Vision Center