Men and women with diabetes face some unique medical problems including secondary problems that affect the eyes and vision. As specialists in diabetic eye diseases, Joseph Kamerling, MD and Paul Speesler, OD with South Jersey Vision Center in Barrington, New Jersey can work with diabetic patients to lower their risk of developing these problems and treat them if they occur.
Diabetic eye disease is an umbrella term for numerous eye problems people with diabetes can develop. The diseases are an actual complication of diabetes, hence the name.
Having diabetes puts a patient at risk for severe eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. It's critical that anyone with diabetes see an eye specialist like the practitioners at South Jersey Vision Center for comprehensive eye care.
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common of the diabetic eye diseases and one of the leading cause of blindness in the country.
Diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels that support the eyes, specifically those that feed the sensitive retina. Poor circulation eventually damages the retina, leading to blindness.
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include:
Cataracts refer to the clouding over of the lenses that focuses light on the retina. This clouding can encompass the entire lens or just portions of it.
Symptoms of cataracts include:
Cataracts can affect each eye separately, too.
Glaucoma refers to a condition that affects the optic nerve. Damage to that nerve leads to blindness. This eye disease can appear with almost no warning, which is why glaucoma screening is part of the routine eye exam at South Jersey Vision Center
It’s essential for anyone with either type 1 or type-2 diabetes control their blood sugar. Excess sugar in the blood causes these eye conditions to form.
