Diabetes & Your Eye Health
If you have diabetes, you’re probably aware of its effect on your health and lifestyle. However, diabetes can also affect your eye health over time.
That’s right; diabetes can increase the risk of several eye conditions and diseases, some of which may lead to permanent vision loss. You can help preserve your sight by having regular eye exams and requesting your next appointment at Downtown Vision Care today.
What Is the Connection?
So how does diabetes affect your eyes?
High glucose levels, or sugar, in your bloodstream can increase the risk of several health concerns, including some that affect blood vessels in your eye, which can lead to retinopathy, edema, and cataracts.
Our team can detect these issues during a comprehensive eye exam. Depending on the severity of your diabetes, we recommend eye exams every 6-12 months to help monitor your eye health while living with diabetes.
How We Can Help
Our eye care technology examines your retina, the back area of your eye responsible for translating light into sight.
Our optical coherence tomography device provides us with cross-sectional images of your retina—like an ultrasound for your eye—while Clarus widefield retinal photography provides us with digital images of your retina. Both devices can help us detect:
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common eye diseases related to diabetes. It occurs when high glucose levels damage your retina’s blood vessels, causing them to bulge, break, and leak fluid into your retina.
The disease typically develops slowly, but it could lead to permanent vision loss without treatment. In severe cases, diabetic retinopathy could increase the risk of retinal detachment.
Diabetic Macular Edema
Diabetic macular edema can occur as a result of diabetic retinopathy. As fluids leak from your retina’s blood vessels, they can accumulate under your macula and cause it to swell, damaging it and leading to possible vision loss.
Your macula provides the central sight you use to read, write, drive, and even recognize faces.
Other Diabetes-Related Eye Concerns
Diabetes can also increase the risk of other eye diseases and conditions, some of which could lead to blindness or permanent vision loss. Some of the most common include:
Preserve Your Eye Health & Vision
We want you to enjoy your vision. Get help preserving your eye health today and request your next appointment with the team at Downtown Vision Care.
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Our Location
Our Address
- #243, 414 3 St S.W.
- Calgary, AB T2P 1R2
Contact Information
- Phone: 403-262-5012
- Fax: 403-266-5800
Hours Of Operation
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
PARKING AVAILABLE
Parking is available in the Calgary Place Parkade. Entrance is off 4th Ave. across from the Keg. Be sure to take a ticket when you enter and we’ll provide a voucher for the time of your visit.
Our Blog
Check out our Blog for news updates and eye care tips!
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