Diabetic Eye Exams: Protecting Your Vision from Diabetes

If you are living with diabetes and searching for a diabetic eye doctor, protecting your vision should be a top priority.

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in adults — but with routine diabetic eye exams, vision loss can often be avoided.

At our Redlands optometry clinic, we provide comprehensive diabetic eye exams using advanced retinal imaging technology to detect problems early — often before you notice symptoms.

How Diabetes Affects Your Eyes

High blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensing tissue at the back of your eye). Over time, this can lead to serious eye conditions, including:

Diabetic Retinopathy

The most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.

In early stages, there may be no symptoms. As it progresses, you may notice:

● Blurry vision

● Floaters

● Dark spots

● Difficulty seeing at night

There are two stages:

● Non-proliferative – Blood vessels weaken and leak.
● Proliferative – Abnormal blood vessels grow and may bleed or cause retinal detachment.

Early detection during a diabetic eye exam can prevent permanent vision loss.

Diabetic Macular Edema

Fluid builds up in the macula (the center of your vision), causing:

● Blurry central vision

● Washed-out colors

● Difficulty reading

Diabetic macular edema can occur at any stage of diabetic retinopathy and requires prompt treatment.

Cataracts

Patients with diabetes often develop cataracts earlier than those without diabetes.

Symptoms include:

● Cloudy or hazy vision

● Glare and halos

● Trouble driving at night

Glaucoma

Diabetes increases the risk of glaucoma, which can lead to irreversible vision loss if untreated.

Why You Need a Diabetic Eye Exam Every Year

Many patients are surprised to learn that diabetic eye disease can progress without noticeable

symptoms. Even if your vision seems fine, annual dilated exams are critical.

At our Redlands eye clinic, we:

● Perform comprehensive dilated retinal evaluations

● Use high-resolution retinal imaging for early detection

● Monitor subtle changes year-to-year

● Write reports to and coordinate care with your primary care physician or endocrinologist

If diabetic retinopathy is detected, early referral and treatment significantly improve outcomes.

How to Protect Your Vision

If you have diabetes, here’s what you can do:

● Maintain healthy blood sugar (target A1C levels)

● Control blood pressure and cholesterol

● Take medications consistently

● Schedule yearly diabetic eye exams

Vision loss from diabetes is often preventable — but only if caught early.

Call Immediately If You Notice:

● Sudden blurred vision

● New floaters or flashes

● A dark curtain in your vision

● Sudden vision loss

These symptoms require urgent evaluation.

Schedule Your Diabetic Eye Exam in Redlands Today

If you have diabetes and have not had an eye exam in the past year, now is the time to schedule.

Our Redlands optometry office is committed to protecting your long-term vision with thorough, technology-driven diabetic eye care.

Your eyesight is too important to wait. Early detection saves vision — and we’re here to help.

Call our office today at 909-435-0414 to schedule your comprehensive diabetic eye exam.

Or book your appointment online here:

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