Important eye care and health considerations for diabetics

While diabetes is a common condition, it also causes patients to be at a higher risk of developing a variety of eye health concerns. Those with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes who do not manage their conditions properly need to fully understand how their condition impacts their vision. Dr. Stuart P. Sondheimer and his team of professionals in Skokie, IL work routinely with diabetic patients to help them fully understand what their condition can do to affect eye health.

What complications can occur with vision due to diabetes?

There are a number of conditions that may impact one’s eye heath when a patient is diabetic. These include:

• The longer an individual has diabetes, the more likely they are to develop glaucoma, especially as an individual ages. Glaucoma is a buildup of pressure in the eye that can cause gradual loss of vision. It can be treated with medications or even surgery.
• Cataracts can happen to anyone, though they are extremely likely in patients who have diabetes. This condition causes a clouding of the eye lens, causing blurry vision and eventually blocking sight.
• Diabetic retinopathy. Any disorder of the retina that is caused by diabetes is known as diabetic retinopathy as a general medical term. There are two types that may occur, including proliferative and nonproliferative. Both can cause vision blurring or loss and should be caught in the earliest stages to hinder its development into the further stages.

How do I monitor for these diabetic eye conditions?

We strongly recommend that patients visit their ophthalmologist on a regular basis for vision screenings and eye examinations. This allows our doctor to catch problems in their earliest stages for more successful intervention. Patients with diabetes may want to visit their ophthalmologist more often than an individual without certain health concerns linked to vision problems.

Call the office of Dr. Stuart P. Sondheimer today

If you have diabetes, it is important that you fully understand the eye and vision conditions that can be impacted if your condition is not properly managed. Dr. Stuart P. Sondheimer is an eye physician, LASIK and cataract surgeon who offers ophthalmic services in the area of Skokie, IL. Call 847-677-2794 to request an appointment.