As if diabetes weren't
enough to manage, people with this complicated disease must pay special
attention to their vision. It's estimated that nearly half of the 16
million diabetics in the U.S. have some degree of eye disease. Because
there are often no warning signs of the disease it's recommended that people
with diabetes have annual eye exams to monitor problems and treat them
early. Even those who carefully control blood sugar levels are at
increased risk of vision problems, but careful management may slow the
onset and progression of diabetes-related eye diseases.
Dr. Larry Morrison and Dr. Michael
Morrison are well-trained and experienced with diabetic vision
management and can help guide you through a lifetime of healthy vision.
Diabetic Retinopathy: High blood
sugar levels can damage the delicate blood vessels of the eye. When
these vessels burst, you may experience blurred vision or even
blindness. Properly diagnosed, diabetic retinopathy can be treated with
a laser procedure or a vitrectomy. Laser surgery has been proven to
reduce the five-year risk of vision loss from diabetic retinopathy by
over 90 percent. Symptoms may include floaters, difficulty reading or
seeing things close-up, flashes and blurred or darkened vision.
Glaucoma: This disease, in which
excessive internal pressure can damage the optic nerve, is almost twice
as common in people with diabetes, so it's extremely important to have
an eye exam each year.
Cataracts: Drs. Larry and Michael
Morrison detect this cloudiness of the lens with a thorough exam. People
with diabetes are twice as likely to develop cataracts and to develop
them at an earlier age.
For more information on healthy vision for
diabetics or to schedule an appointment, call the Morrison Eye Care office nearest you. |
