If you have diabetes, your eyes need attention even when your vision feels fine. Diabetes can damage the small blood vessels in the retina — the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye — and that damage often causes no symptoms at first. A diabetic eye exam is a thorough checkup designed to catch those changes early, when they are easiest to manage.
Image: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health (public domain).
At Alta Eye Care, a diabetic eye exam is a thorough eye health checkup that screens for diabetic retinopathy and other eye conditions, using the latest technology and techniques. Here is what the visit usually involves.
Why diabetes affects the eyes
Over time, high blood sugar can damage the tiny blood vessels that supply the retina. When those vessels weaken or leak, the condition is called diabetic retinopathy, and it can progress quietly for years before vision changes. That is why the exam matters even when nothing feels wrong: the signs show up in the eye before they show up in your sight.
What the exam checks
The visit starts with the basics — a vision check and a measurement of eye pressure — and then looks deeper. The doctor examines the retina and optic nerve with a dilated fundus exam, and uses retinal imaging to get a detailed view of the back of the eye. Together, these checks screen for diabetic retinopathy and other eye conditions, and give the doctor a baseline to compare against at future visits.
What dilation feels like
To see the retina clearly, the doctor uses drops that widen the pupils. The drops take a little while to work, and afterward your vision may be blurry up close and sensitive to bright light. The effect wears off over the following hours, and sunglasses help in the meantime. Many patients find it more comfortable to have someone drive them home after a dilated exam.
How often to come back
That depends on what the exam shows. The doctor will recommend a follow-up schedule based on the health of your eyes at the visit, and that schedule may change over time as things are monitored.
When to call sooner
Between visits, call promptly if you notice a sudden change in vision, new floaters or flashes of light, a dark spot or shadow in your field of vision, or any vision loss. These are worth checking right away rather than waiting for the next scheduled exam.
To book a diabetic eye exam, call Alta Eye Care at (408) 502-6188. The practice is at 3239 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95117.