Diabetic Retinopathy

If you have diabetes, getting complications from it can happen. One complication that can happen is developing diabetic retinopathy. This can greatly affect the eyes and create a number of problems with your vision. When it's in its early stages, you might not have any symptoms that are noticeable. Then, they may start to notice some mild vision issues. The condition can continue to progress, getting worse and worse until the patient is blind. This condition can be caused by both type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If you have had diabetes for many years, you are more likely to have this condition. If you don't keep your blood sugar under good control, it is also more likely to occur. If you are diabetic, you need a regular eye exam to keep track of your vision and to test for this problem. To see an “eye doctor near me,” call a Kailua-Kona, HI, optometrist on our team for an eye exam. We at Wally Kojima, O.D. and Associates are here to help.

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Diabetic Retinopathy Signs

When this condition first begins, you aren't likely to notice any signs of it. As it progresses, though, you will start to see some symptoms of it. It often causes your vision to fluctuate, for dark spots or strings to appear, and blurry vision. You might also have areas of your vision that are dark or empty, and you could have a lot of vision loss. For diabetics, it is important to always manage their blood sugar so that they can see as well as possible. It's also important to get your yearly eye exam to be tested for this condition, even if you aren't noticing any symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. If you become diabetic while pregnant, you will have more risk of this condition. 

Diabetic Retinopathy Causes

Your eye is made up of many parts, and one of these is the retina. Each eye has a retina in the back, and it has small blood vessels that run through this structure. It's damage to those blood vessels that causes it to develop. When you have a high blood sugar level, this can cause those blood vessels to become blocked. This prevents blood from getting to your retinas. With this blockage, the eyes will attempt to replace those blood vessels with new ones, but those generally don't develop well, and they can leak. 

Visit an “Eye Doctor Near Me” on Our Team

When you need an optometrist for your eye health, especially when you are diabetic, call an optometrist on our team to schedule an eye exam. We are located in Kailua-Kona, HI. Call us at (808) 331-8081. An eye doctor at Wally Kojima, O.D. and Associates is here to help.

Office Hours

Monday

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Tuesday

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Wednesday

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Thursday

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Friday

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Saturday

9:30 am - 2:00 pm

2:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Sunday

Closed

Monday
10:00 am - 2:00 pm 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Tuesday
10:00 am - 2:00 pm 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Wednesday
10:00 am - 2:00 pm 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Thursday
10:00 am - 2:00 pm 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Friday
10:00 am - 2:00 pm 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Saturday
9:30 am - 2:00 pm 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Sunday
Closed

Location

Located Inside Costco