Your Health & Eyes Share A Unique Relationship
We talk a lot about how important your eye health is, but is it possible for your overall health to affect your eyes as well? Absolutely.
Your body and eyes share a unique relationship, meaning that certain issues affecting your overall health could also affect your vision, eye comfort, and eye health. One of America’s most common health conditions is diabetes, which can increase the risk of developing several eye concerns.
With the help of our unique approach to eye care and commitment to providing a one-of-a-kind experience, we’re ready to be the team you trust to manage your eye health.
The only thing you need now is to request your eye exam. Request yours today!
So, How Does Diabetes Affect Your Eyes?
Diabetes is a systemic disease that affects how your body processes sugar, or glucose, in your bloodstream. These sugars can eventually affect the blood vessels inside your retina, increasing the risk of eye diseases and conditions that may cause permanent vision loss.
Annual eye exams are essential for detecting these issues early in their development. Using a plethora of modern diagnostic technologies, we can get a clear view of your eye health to determine how your diabetes might affect it.
Managing diabetes with the help of your general practitioner can help reduce the risk of developing these issues, but we can also recommend nutritional advice to help promote healthy eyes.
Detecting Diabetes-Related Eye Concerns
Diabetic eye exams are similar to our routine eye exams, but with a few changes specifically designed to detect issues related to diabetes.
One of the most common pieces of tech we’ll use during a diabetic eye exam is iVue OCT (optical coherence tomography). This device uses lasers to generate cross-sectional images of your retina, macula, and optic nerve, which helps us detect various eye diseases, including those related to diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema are among the most common diabetes-related eye diseases, but diabetes can also increase the risk of developing open-angle glaucoma and cataracts.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy can develop when sugars in your bloodstream cause blood vessels in your retina to bulge, break, and leak fluid. These fluids can slowly affect your sight and increase the risk of developing diabetic macular edema.
An advanced version of the disease, known as proliferative diabetic retinopathy, occurs when abnormal blood vessels form to compensate for fluid loss. However, these vessels are quite delicate and can break quite easily. As these vessels break, they can create scar tissue on your retina and increase the risk of retinal detachment.
Diabetic Macular Edema
Diabetic macular edema occurs alongside diabetic retinopathy and affects the centermost part of your retina called the macula.
As fluids leak from your retina, they can accumulate under your macula, causing it to swell. Over time, diabetic macular edema can affect your central vision, making it more difficult to read, see fine details, drive, and even recognize faces.
We’re Here to Preserve Your Vision
Whether you have diabetes or not, regular eye exams are a vital part of your health care routine and can help detect issues you might not even know you have.
Request an appointment today with the team at Integrated Vision Associates and see how we can help manage your eye health and preserve your vision. We can’t wait to see you!
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Main St. Hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
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At Integrated Vision Associates, we offer a wide variety of contact lens brands to ensure proper fit and comfort for your unique eyes. We also focus on specialty brands designed for patients who need lenses different from conventional contacts due to certain eye conditions.
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Integrated Vision Associates
- 1001 Main St S.
- Greenwood, SC 29646
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P: 1 864-223-1960