Your eyes can tell an important story about your health, especially when you're living with diabetes. Even when your vision seems clear, changes may be developing in the tiny blood vessels at the back of your eyes.
A diabetic eye exam helps our Arkansas optometrists spot changes early, giving you more opportunities to protect your sight. At Parenti-Morris Eyecare, we provide diabetic eye exams for patients in Rogers and Bentonville with a focus on long-term eye health.
With November marking Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, October is a great time to check whether you're due for your next visit.
What Is a Diabetic Eye Exam?
A diabetic eye exam is a comprehensive eye exam that focuses on how diabetes affects your eyes, especially the retina.
The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye that helps turn light into the images you see. It contains a network of delicate blood vessels that can be damaged when blood sugar stays elevated over time.
One of the main conditions your optometrist looks for is diabetic retinopathy, which develops when diabetes damages these small retinal blood vessels. Diabetes can also increase your risk of other eye conditions, including cataracts and glaucoma.
Why Clear Vision Can Be Misleading
It's easy to assume your eyes are healthy when you can read, drive, and go about your day comfortably. However, diabetic eye disease can develop gradually, and its early stages often cause few noticeable symptoms.
As the condition progresses, some people experience:
- Blurry or fluctuating vision
- Dark spots or floaters
- Difficulty seeing clearly at night
- Changes in color perception
- Areas of missing or distorted vision
These symptoms can have several causes, so an eye exam is the best way to understand what's happening.
What Happens During a Diabetic Eye Exam?
If you've recently received a diabetes diagnosis or you're preparing for your first diabetic eye exam, knowing what to expect can make the appointment feel easier.
A diabetic eye exam includes many familiar steps from a routine eye exam, plus a closer look at the structures most vulnerable to diabetes-related changes.
Your optometrist will assess your vision, examine your eye health, and look for signs of eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy.
1. A Conversation About Your Health
Your appointment typically begins with a review of your medical and vision history. Your optometrist may ask when you were diagnosed with diabetes, how you've been managing your blood sugar, and whether you've noticed any changes in your vision.
They may also discuss your medications, recent A1C results, blood pressure, and other health conditions that could affect your eyes.
2. A Check of Your Vision and Prescription
Next, your optometrist checks how clearly you see at different distances. You may read letters from an eye chart and complete a refraction test to determine whether your glasses or contact lens prescription needs updating.
Blood sugar fluctuations can temporarily affect the eye's ability to focus, sometimes causing vision to blur or change from day to day.
3. A Dilated Retinal Examination
One of the most valuable parts of a diabetic eye exam is the dilated retinal examination. Your optometrist places special drops in your eyes to widen your pupils. This creates a clearer view of the retina, optic nerve, and blood vessels inside your eyes.
During the examination, your optometrist looks for changes such as:
- Small areas of bleeding in the retina
- Damaged or leaking blood vessels
- Swelling near the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision
- Abnormal blood vessel growth
- Other changes associated with diabetic eye disease
The examination is generally comfortable, although the drops may briefly sting. Your vision may remain blurry, and your eyes may feel more sensitive to light for several hours afterward.
Bringing sunglasses and arranging a ride home can make the rest of your day more comfortable.
4. Additional Retinal Testing When Needed
Depending on your eye health, your optometrist may recommend additional testing to examine your retina more closely.
Retinal photography can capture detailed images of the back of your eyes, helping your eye care team document changes and compare findings over time.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is another imaging technology that may help detect swelling or structural changes within the retina.
5. Your Results and Next Steps
After your examination, your optometrist will explain the findings and discuss what they mean for your eye health.
If your eyes appear healthy, your next step may simply be continued monitoring at the recommended interval.
If the examination reveals signs of diabetic eye disease, your optometrist can discuss additional testing, closer follow-up, or referral to an ophthalmologist for treatment when needed.
How Often Should You Get a Diabetic Eye Exam?
For most people living with diabetes, a comprehensive diabetic eye exam is recommended at least once a year. However, the timing of your first exam and the frequency of future visits depend on your type of diabetes, eye health, and individual risk factors.
Your optometrist can recommend an exam schedule that reflects your medical history and any changes in your vision.
Diabetic Eye Exams During Pregnancy
Pregnancy can increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy developing or progressing in people with preexisting type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
If you're planning a pregnancy, your healthcare team may recommend a comprehensive eye exam beforehand. Patients with preexisting diabetes should also receive an eye examination early in pregnancy, with follow-up visits based on their retinal health.
Gestational diabetes, which first develops during pregnancy, generally carries different eye screening recommendations. Your optometrist and prenatal care team can work together to determine an appropriate schedule.
What Happens if Diabetic Retinopathy Is Found?
Your treatment plan will depend on the condition's severity, your symptoms, and the health of your retina. In its early stages, diabetic retinopathy may require careful monitoring alongside management of blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
More advanced cases may require treatment from a retina specialist. Depending on the condition, treatment options can include medication injections into the eye, laser procedures, or surgery.
Protect Your Vision Between Exams
Your daily health habits play an important role in eye care. Alongside regular diabetic eye exams, several steps can help lower your risk of diabetes-related vision complications:
- Manage your blood sugar: Work with your diabetes care team to maintain your individualized blood sugar and A1C targets.
- Monitor your blood pressure: Healthy blood pressure management helps protect the delicate blood vessels throughout your body, including those in your eyes.
- Keep cholesterol in check: Managing cholesterol supports your overall vascular health.
- Stay physically active: Regular movement can support blood sugar management and cardiovascular health.
- Follow your prescribed care plan: Take medications as directed and attend recommended medical appointments.
- Pay attention to vision changes: Contact your eye care team when you notice new blurriness, floaters, or other changes in your sight.
Diabetic Eye Exams at Parenti-Morris Eyecare
We help patients in Rogers, Bentonville, and surrounding Arkansas communities stay informed about their eye health through comprehensive diabetic eye exams.
November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, making it a timely reminder to check when you last had a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
If you're due for an appointment, October is a great opportunity to get ahead of the busy holiday season and give your vision the attention it deserves.
Schedule your diabetic eye exam at Parenti-Morris Eyecare in Rogers or Bentonville, AR, and take an important step toward protecting your long-term vision.