Diabetic screenings in Columbia
Were you aware that an eye exam could be the first key to detecting diabetes as well as other health problems? Discovering health problems early provides patients with a much better chance of preventing damage through early treatment and management. A specialist can screen for many eye diseases and other health problems during your comprehensive eye exam at our Columbia eye care office, Quality Optical of Columbia.
Diabetes can cause the small blood vessels in the retina (the back of the eye) to become damaged. This condition is called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes also increases your chances of developing other eye conditions such as glaucoma. Unfortunately, you may not be aware that your eyes have been damaged until the problem has gotten very bad. There are no changes in vision during the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, so you won’t have any symptoms. However, a professional eye doctor at our Columbia eye care office, Quality Optical of Columbia can detect the problem during a comprehensive eye exam. We can’t stress enough how important those exams are for early detection & consequently, early treatment. Your eye doctor can detect diabetic retinopathy by doing a dilated retinal exam. He’ll first check your vision by using a chart with random letters of different sizes called a Snellen chart. He’ll then dilate your eyes with eye drops so he can see the back of your eyes better. The doctor will then look through a special magnifying glass using a bright light so he can detect areas that may have been damaged by diabetes. He’ll check the blood vessels in the front and middle parts of the eyes, the back of the eyes and the area where the optic nerve is located. He’ll use a split lamp to check the cornea and may take photos of your retina without dilating your eyes for a more detailed exam. You eye doctor will then discuss your exam results and a recommended treatment plan with you.
To learn more about diabetic screenings, you should consult with our eye doctor. Call our Columbia eye care office right now to schedule your appointment.
By Quality Optical
January 15, 2019