What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

When you have diabetes, it can cause multiple complications throughout your body, such as diabetic retinopathy. This disease dramatically affects the eyes and can damage your vision. When the condition first begins, most patients don't have any symptoms or else have mild ones. As diabetic retinopathy worsens, vision problems progress and blindness can result.

Who Gets Diabetic Retinopathy?

It's more common in patients with diabetes for many years. If your blood sugar isn't under reasonable control, you are also at a higher risk for this condition. You're also at higher risk of high blood pressure or cholesterol. When you have diabetes, you need an eye doctor near me to monitor your vision. Call our Kailua-Kona, HI, office to see the optometrist. The eye doctor can give you the eye exam you need to find any eye problems.

What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?

The early stages of this eye disease generally come without any changes to the vision. After that, however, it will start to get worse, and you will begin to notice its symptoms. For example, you may have blurred vision, see dark floaters, blank spaces, dimmer vision, or a vision prescription that fluctuates. You need to see our optometrist at least once a year for your eye exam, so your condition's severity can be assessed and monitored. If you have changes to your vision, it's essential to find out why and see our eye doctor.