We Get Detailed When It Comes to Diabetes
More than 38 million people in the United States have diabetes. While most people know that diabetes can impact their overall health, how diabetes can impact eye health is less well-known. Diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes, is the leading cause of blindness in working-age Americans.
At Eagle Vision, we are well-equipped to care for patients with diabetes. In fact, optometrists are often the first health professionals to detect the signs of diabetes.
If you have diabetes, we encourage you to come and experience our thorough, detailed eye exams. We can help you integrate your eye health into your overall diabetes management and assist you in preventing vision loss.
Book your diabetic eye exam today.
Diabetes and Your Eyes
Diabetes affects your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can damage your blood vessels and lead to fluid buildup in your eyes. Over time, elevated blood sugar levels can lead to serious vision problems, including vision loss and blindness.
People with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. These eye diseases often begin without noticeable symptoms until vision loss occurs.
Annual eye exams are important for detecting the early signs of vision conditions to prevent avoidable vision loss. If you have diabetes, we recommend that you have a detailed eye exam at least once a year.
Diabetes and Eye Diseases
Diabetes can increase your risk of developing eye diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. These conditions can damage your eyes and cause permanent vision loss if left untreated.
We’ll work with you to tailor an exam schedule based on your current eye health and needs. If you are diagnosed with an eye disease, we will develop a treatment plan and guide you through the process to help preserve your eyesight.
Diabetic retinopathy is a serious, 2-stage diabetic eye disease that often does not present symptoms during initial development.
High blood sugar levels can damage the delicate blood vessels of your eyes, causing them to swell, leak, or close. During the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, leaking blood vessels cause the retina, the light-sensitive tissue inside your eye, to swell, causing blurry vision.
If the blood vessels leak into the macula, which is part of the retina responsible for your central vision, you can experience vision loss. This is called macular edema.
Treatments for diabetic retinopathy include medications, injections, and laser surgeries to close the leaking blood vessels. Prevention remains the most effective treatment, so controlling your blood sugar, avoiding alcohol and smoking, and regular exercise can all help prevent diabetic retinopathy.
Cataracts occur when the normally clear lens in your eye hardens and becomes opaque or cloudy. While cataracts can be a normal part of aging, diabetes can cause cataracts to develop earlier and more rapidly.
Cataracts can be managed with glasses or contact lenses to correct vision, but if they progress and affect your daily life, you may need to consider cataract surgery.
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions characterized by damage to the optic nerve. In patients with diabetes, glaucoma can occur as fluid leaks into the eye and builds up internal eye pressure. This increased eye pressure can damage the optic nerve, permanently impacting your vision.
Treatment for glaucoma is aimed at reducing your internal eye pressure. This may include medicated eye drops, systemic medications, laser treatment, or other surgery.
Our Technology for Diabetic Eye Exams
Eagle Vision has invested in the technology necessary to carefully assess your eyes and monitor for any changes that would indicate a diabetic eye disease. Catching signs of eye disease during the early stages gives us more treatment options to protect your eye health and preserve your sight.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans allow us to view the inside of the eye and vascular system. The device uses light waves to map the different layers of your retina, the light-sensitive tissue inside your eye.
With this technology, we can take a cross-section image of your retina to get an up-close view of your retina and any damage to the delicate veins nearby.
To take an image of your retina, we use optomap imaging with the Optos California camera. This device produces an ultra-widefield view of the inside of your eye for a more thorough diagnosis. Like OCT, with this device, we can view the retina and the blood vessels in your eyes.
Using special drops, we may dilate your pupils during your diabetic eye exam. Once the pupils have widened, we can view the back of the eye more clearly. The procedure is well-tolerated, but you may find yourself more sensitive to sunlight for a short while after.
We recommend bringing sunglasses or having someone drive you to and from your appointment.
Don’t Delay If You Have Diabetes
Let the experienced team at Eagle Vision take care of your eyes. We will help you establish a baseline for your eye health and assess any changes taking place.
If you require surgery or other special treatment, rest assured that we have a network of trusted specialists and will promptly provide you with a referral.
It’s important to address any vision conditions as early as possible to preserve your sight. Book your appointment today.
Say Goodbye to
Dry, Gritty Eyes
Do your eyes often feel scratchy, gritty, or irritated? You may be experiencing dry eye syndrome, an uncomfortable but common condition that impacts your body’s ability to produce good-quality tears.
We understand the frustration and discomfort that come with dry eye symptoms. That’s why we screen for dry eye in all our adult eye exams. If you receive a diagnosis, you have options.
We offer a variety of at-home and in-office treatment methods, including IPL and radiofrequency therapy. During your appointment, your optometrist will develop a personalized plan tailored to your specific symptoms, the underlying cause, and your individual preferences.
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Visit Our Location
We’re located on East Pony Express Parkway, just across from North Clydesdale Drive.
Our Address
- 4408 E Pony Express Pkwy, Suite A
- Eagle Mountain, UT 84005
Contact Information
- Phone: 801-789-3937
- Fax: 801-228-2420
- Email: [email protected]
Hours Of Operation
Visit Our Location
We’re located on East Pony Express Parkway, just across from North Clydesdale Drive.
Our Address
- 4408 E Pony Express Pkwy, Suite A
- Eagle Mountain, UT 84005
Contact Information
- Phone: 801-789-3937
- Fax: 801-228-2420
- Email: [email protected]
Hours Of Operation
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What Our Patients Are Saying
Eagle Vision is phenomenal! They were so sweet with my kids and got them in and out quick. Then when my husband came who hates drs, they did a great job going quickly. He picked out some glasses that seemed amazing. Once he got them and used them, he was ready to throw them out a window and roll over them. He was so mad. We came back in and spoke to the gals there and they came up with a solution that worked for us. He is now THRILLED with his glasses and loves them so much. Eagle Vision is an awesome place and we are so happy to go there.
M. Green
Dr. Barney did a great job with my 5 year old son. It was his first time getting his eyes checked and he helped him not to be nervous. It all went very smooth and professional. Great office! Great Dr.!
H. Wolfe
Love having an eye doctor close to my home that accepted my insurance. Did a great job with both me and my children. Very friendly and thorough. Good selection of frames.
J. Gonzalez
Everything went well. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and got me into my appointment quickly. I thought it was better experience than going to one of those in-store optical centers, which would have cost the same amount or more.
L. Hardy
Dr Barney, Thanks so much for all the help. I have had my exam, prescription, and glasses taken care of. Thank you thank you thank you!!! I also had 3 other family members go to Dr Barney.
Special thanks for offering to fix an older pair of glasses as well. I will try to round up the parts 🙂
Thanks for the text messages keeping me informed of appointment as well as the one about my frames being ready for pick up.
Rock on!
J. Peterson
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Eagle Vision Family Eye Care
- 4408 E Pony Express Pkwy, Suite A
- Eagle Mountain, UT 84005
- 801-789-3937
- 801-228-2420
- [email protected]