Diabetic Eye Exams Specialist

How Often is a Diabetic Eye Exam Needed?

Patients who have diabetes or those who are at risk for diabetes need to have eye exams every year. If a patient is newly diagnosed as diabetic or pre-diabetic, they need to schedule an exam right away even if they've had an eye exam recently. This allows the doctor to look for eye diseases that can be caused by diabetes in particular. If a diabetic patient has already had eye problems due to their condition, they might have to have diabetic eye exams more than once a year.

How Does a Diabetic Eye Exam Work?

A diabetic eye exam is similar to a standard eye exam in many ways, but the doctor places a particular emphasis on looking for signs of diabetic eye disease, and in fact for any changes in the eyes due to diabetes. The patient takes a standard eye chart test to find out the strength of their vision. Also, an eye muscle movement test and a test to gauge what the pupil does when exposed to light are also common.

At Cataract & Vision Center of Hawaii, the doctors perform a very thorough exam that includes checking the cornea, lens, iris, and posterior of the eye. Pupils may be dilated in a diabetic eye exam to allow for a close-up view of the retina, optic nerve, and supporting structures. Many diabetic patients require vision correction, and this type of exam typically includes getting a new prescription.

What Type of Eye Diseases are Caused by Diabetes?

Diabetic eye disease is a group of diseases rather than a single condition.

The most frequently occurring diabetic eye diseases include:

• Cataracts
  
• Glaucoma
  
• Diabetic retinopathy

The most common of these, in fact, is diabetic retinopathy. This disease is the main reason that diabetic people lose their vision today.

How are Diabetic Eye Diseases Treated?

If a diabetic eye disease such as glaucoma is discovered during a diabetic eye exam, a Cataract & Vision Center of Hawaii doctor begins treatment as soon as possible. This facility has an on-site surgery center, where cataract surgery and other corrective surgeries can be performed on an outpatient basis. The doctors here customize every treatment to the patient and their particular issues.

 *Individual Results May Vary