Preserve Your Vision With Great Eye Doctor of Burleson

Diabetic Retinopathy in Burleson

Preserve Your Vision With Great Eye Doctor of Burleson

(817) 295-0186

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 Great Eye Doctor of Burleson 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, Great Eye Doctor of Burleson in Burleson 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 Great Eye Doctor of Burleson in Burleson 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
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- Sep. 13, 2024
The doctor was so knowledgeable about eyecare, and explained everything to me to where I could under... stand it. If I had any doubts, he would go back and explain it a different way. It was just a very, very good experience. The ladies upfront were very knowledgeable about the eyeglasses, my insurance everything it was just amazing.
- Sep. 12, 2024
Always an easy time, great staff.
- Sep. 12, 2024
Love the staff and Dr. DeJernett was very thorough and positively educational. Highly recommend to a... nyone!
- Jun. 03, 2024
Great place! Lovely staff and atmosphere.
- May. 22, 2024
This was my first time here. The care I received was amazing. The staff is great, and the technology... is impressive.
- Apr. 20, 2024
I was able to my foreign exchange daughter a last-minute appointment! Dr. Bullard was so attentive a... nd so incredibly kind! I will recommend him to everyone i know now!
- Apr. 09, 2024
Fantastic service! I highly recommend! They are organized, reasonable, affordable, knowledgeable, ap... proachable, etc.. only have good things to say.
- Mar. 12, 2024
I went in for eye floaters everybody was nice and everything was done in a very timely manner! My ne... rves were calmed as soon as I got in , I get anxiety thinking something is wrong with me but there wasn’t! Highly recommend , Dr.D is great!
- Nov. 30, 2023
Everyone has eyes. So everyone should come see these great folks!
- Oct. 07, 2023
Everyone in the office is very kind and I’ve never been to a eye doctor that has been so thorough ... in my life.. great dr D 😊
- Sep. 22, 2023
Amazing staff and the eye doctor was awesome. I’m new to this office so I’ll definitely be back.... Excellent service and care.
- Sep. 08, 2023
Very professional place and top of the line equipment to make the ease very smoothly.
- Aug. 23, 2023
Everyone is super nice and friendly; plus, I received great care!
- Aug. 04, 2023
Very caring staff and Doctor! He took all the time I needed to patiently answer all my questions.
- May. 10, 2023
Staff is very welcoming. Dr. Bullard has a great chair-side manner and is very thorough in explainin... g all the different tests, etc. I am very pleased to be a patient of Dr. Bullard and his office.
- May. 10, 2023
Staff is wonderful! Very helpful
- May. 05, 2023
Kind, timely, thorough
- Apr. 30, 2023
I normally don’t write reviews, but my experience was outstanding. They were able to squeeze in an... appointment same day and all the staff were very polite and professional. The equipment and products they have are top notch and the doctor is very personable. Highly recommend.
- Apr. 27, 2023
Heath Bullard,OD truly is a GREAT EYE DOCTOR.
- Apr. 21, 2023
Great staff, very friendly. Great al around experience.

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Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Burleson

Our optometry practice in Burleson

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blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

(817) 295-0186