Preserve Your Vision With Wishnow-Sugar Vision - Katy

Diabetic Retinopathy in Katy

Preserve Your Vision With Wishnow-Sugar Vision - Katy

(281) 828-1010

Have diabetes?

Experiencing changes in vision, such as blurriness and eye floaters?

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of vision loss around the world. Of an estimated 285 million people with diabetes mellitus worldwide, approximately one-third have signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Fortunately, there are several steps people with diabetes can take to prevent or minimize vision loss.

Blood sugar level check


What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

noraml eye and an eye with  diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by high blood sugar levels that damage the small blood vessels clustered within your retina. This leads to swelling or fluid leakage and can result in vision loss and even blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy also raises the risk of retinal detachment and/or glaucoma.

Because the early stages of diabetic retinopathy show no symptoms, many don't realize they have it until the disease has progressed.

If you have diabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. To reduce your risk and protect your vision, schedule an eye exam with Wishnow-Sugar Vision - Katy today.


What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?

diabetic-retinopothy-oct-scan

As mentioned above, the early phase of diabetic retinopathy typically shows no symptoms. This is why it's important to have routine eye exams (all the more so if you have diabetes), as your eye doctor can detect diabetic retinopathy in its earlier stages before symptoms become apparent.

Symptoms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy include:
  • Blurred vision
  • Floaters
  • Double vision
  • Near vision problems
  • Seeing dark spots (scotomas)
  • Difficulty seeing at night

What are the Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Non-Proliferative Retinopathy (early stage):
This occurs when small bulges–or microaneurysms–form in blood vessels and can leak fluid into the retina.

Proliferative Retinopathy (later phase):
This refers to abnormal vessel growth and leakage in the retina. This triggers a variety of vision problems such as blurriness, reduced field of vision, and even blindness.

If you have diabetes, Wishnow-Sugar Vision - Katy in Katy offers diagnostic tests and treatment options to help preserve your vision. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the treatment outcome.

Diabetic-Retinopathy-Bllod-sugar-level-checker


How Optometrists Diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy

  • Medical history

    Your optometrist will ask about your medical history, including diabetes, as well as your family history of eye conditions.

  • Dilated pupil exam

    Your optometrist will apply eye drops to dilate the pupils so they can see inside the eye and detect any issues.

  • Fluorescein angiography

    This eye test uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid.

  • Optical coherence tomography

    This imaging method shows a cross-section of the retina and can indicate whether vessels are leaking fluid into the retina.


How to Treat Diabetic Retinopathy

senior man with diabetic retinopathy

Treatment begins with managing blood sugar levels and diabetes. This means eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and taking whatever diabetes medication has been prescribed.

Other treatments will depend on the stage or severity of the disease. If caught early, only blood sugar management may be necessary.

However, if you're in a more advanced stage of the diseases, treatment options may include:
  • Eye medications. Steroid and Anti-VEGF treatments can stop inflammation and prevent the formation of new blood vessels.
  • Laser surgery. Reduces the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels and swelling in the retina.
  • Vitrectomy. If you have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, you may need an eye surgery called vitrectomy. This procedure removes scar tissue, blood or fluid, and some of the vitreous gel so light rays can better focus on the retina.

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQs

What are the major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy?

As the name suggests, diabetes is the main risk factor for developing diabetic retinopathy. Be mindful of your family history of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, get an annual eye exam to detect potential problems early.

Other conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Moreover, those of African or Hispanic descent have a higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

There are a number of ways to preserve your vision and reduce the risk of vision and eye damage due to diabetic retinopathy.

  • Visit your eye doctor for annual eye exams.
  • Control your blood sugar levels.
  • Maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Quit smoking.

The best thing you can do right now is to schedule your eye exam with Wishnow-Sugar Vision - Katy in Katy to ensure that everything is in check.

Does diabetic retinopathy cause blindness?

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness among work-aged adults. It affects one in three people with diabetes and often goes unnoticed at first. Diagnosing and treating the condition early on can prevent severe vision loss.

Patient Reviews
4.9
211 Reviews
5
4
3
2
1
- Sep. 04, 2024
I love this place! Great service, awesome staff. The docs do all they can to help meet my eye needs....
- Aug. 18, 2024
Wonderful staffs and awesome experience for the past 3 years.
- Jul. 09, 2024
great customer service
- Jul. 05, 2024
Very welcoming..Very professional staff
- Jul. 01, 2024
Very nice, kind doctor and staff who are patient and always willing to help.
- Jun. 26, 2024
Excellent Friendly Staff and Deeply Knowledgeable!
- May. 19, 2024
Great customer service, very good product selection, professionalism, and easy to talk to
- Apr. 20, 2024
a great place to care for your eyes!
- Mar. 16, 2024
The Doctor is excellent at what he does and listens to his clients well.
- Mar. 09, 2024
Nicest staff you can ever have at a doctor’s office! Dr. Wishnow is very thorough, patient and fr... iendly. He doesn’t spare time to answer my questions. They have a pretty good selection of frames as well!
- Feb. 11, 2024
They do it right!
- Feb. 07, 2024
Always Great Service.
- Feb. 06, 2024
Very Good Service from All
- Jan. 30, 2024
Wouldn’t go anywhere else. Dr Sugar is very thorough and he as well as his staff are very personab... le. .
- Jan. 12, 2024
I love the doctors there but AJ, the lady that works up front with frames and fittings, is the absol... ute best!
- Dec. 28, 2023
Dr Sugar and his staff are always giving me the best customer service from the greeting at the door,... my original exam and Dr Sugar's thorough exam for my vision and contact fitting. Dr Sugar, Saed and AJ are my absolute favorite to help me with all of my vision needs! This is a great office to get your vision needs taken care of. I will be a customer for life!
- Dec. 11, 2023
Easy to get an appointment. Great cooperative team. Efficient and knowledgeable doctors, they give u... s the time and explanation. Clean environment. Thank you.
- Nov. 06, 2023
This is the best team you will find. They are that good. I drive an hour to get here because I could... n’t find anyone else that comes close.
- Oct. 21, 2023
I have always received very professional, friendly, courteous, and punctual service from Wishnow-Sug... ar. I would recommend them to anyone.
- Sep. 08, 2023
Great customer service

View All 211 Reviews

Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Katy

Our optometry practice in Katy

Photograph of Daniel  Wishnow
Hours
  • Monday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm
  • Tuesday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Spectera
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • EyeMed

blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

(281) 828-1010