Diabetic Eye Exams in Fairhope

Caring for Your Vision with Diabetes

Diabetes is common, impacting about 1 in 10 Americans. Living with diabetes can impact your overall health, including your vision.

Diabetes can lead to vision-threatening conditions. Diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes, is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.

At Eastern Shore Eye Care, we understand the stress of living with a chronic health condition like diabetes. Our knowledgeable and compassionate team is here to support your health and guide you through caring for your eyes while living with diabetes.

Book your diabetic eye exam today to protect your vision for the future.

What to Expect During Your Diabetic Eye Exam

Your diabetic eye exam will follow a similar process to our standard comprehensive eye exam. You’ll complete pretesting, have your eyes dilated, and meet with your optometrist. However, your recommended exam schedule and diagnostic testing will vary.

We will recommend an exam schedule based on your current eye health and any existing conditions you may have. Your optometrist will work closely with you to determine the right frequency, and this may change over time.

Both diagnostic imaging and a thorough check by your optometrist of the health of your eye using a special microscope called a slit lamp help to monitor the health of your blood vessels and other parts of your eye. Because they are typically the first to be impacted by diabetes, changes to the delicate blood vessels in your eye can indicate signs of potential disease and give your optometrist an idea of your overall health.

During your exam, you will have an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan and retinal imaging done. The OCT scan uses light energy to map the layers of your retina, creating a cross-sectional image of your eye. This allows us to monitor the health of your retina, macula, and optic nerve. Retinal imaging, on the other hand, takes a photo of the inside of your eye, which includes your retina, optic nerve, macula, and blood vessels.

Protect Your Eyes from Diabetes Complications

The most effective way to protect your eyes from complications of diabetes is to prioritize preventive care. This means attending regular, comprehensive eye exams with your optometrist to monitor your eye health before you have vision problems. It also means helping your body control its blood sugar through medication, diet, exercise, and other recommendations from your doctor.

An easy way to support your eye health and overall wellness at home is to focus on eating healthy, well-balanced meals with key nutrients such as omega-3s, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E. These nutrients can help to support your eye health. As well, try to choose foods full of fiber, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates to avoid sharp blood sugar spikes. 

Work closely with your optometrist and general practitioner to manage your diabetes. They can provide recommendations and referrals to other health care providers to support your health.

Prioritize Your Eye Health

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes, you may feel overwhelmed with changes to your lifestyle. The good news is, what’s good for your body is usually good for your eyes, too!

By booking regular diabetic eye exams to monitor your eye health, your optometrist can help you monitor your overall wellness. As the eyes are the only place in your body where blood vessels can be seen, your optometrist can often identify impacts of diabetes before other symptoms arise.

Keep your eyes healthy and protect your vision by booking a diabetic eye exam today.