Gailey Eye Clinic

The retina is the nerve layer at the back of your eye that turns light energy into the images your optic nerve sends to your brain. The retina is a highly sensitive and very important part of your eye; it is also the part of the eye affected by diabetic retinopathy.

As a diabetic, you will continue to create new blood vessels in your eyes, but these new vessels are weak and can easily break. When these new blood vessels break, blood leaks into the eye, in front of the retina, causing impaired vision. Scar tissue can also form, pulling the retina away from the wall of the eye. Retinopathy can also cause the middle of retina to swell. This swelling or, macular edema, can eventually lead to complete blindness.

Anyone with diabetes runs the potential risk for retinopathy. However, your risks can be significantly reduced if you follow some very simple steps:

• Keep your blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure as normal as possible
• Proper diet, moderate exercise, and not smoking all play a part in helping you keep in control of your diabetes
• Regular physical, and optical check ups can help detect potential complications before they become real problems

Diabetic retinopathy often exhibits no symptoms until it is too late. As such, if you are a diabetic, it is very important to have your eyes checked yearly. The optometrists at Gailey Eye Clinic are trained to detect early signs of retinopathy and treat the problem before your vision is permanently affected.

Treatment options vary depending on the extent of the damage already done, but may include:

• Cryotherapy, where liquid nitrogen is applied to diseased tissue to freeze and destroy them
• Vitrectomy, a surgical procedure that uses specialized instruments to remove scar tissue from the retina
• Laser surgery, a technique that reshapes the cornea to allow light to better reach the retina

No one option is best for all patients. The optometrists at Gailey Eye Clinic will work closely with you to determine what option best suits your unique needs.

If you are diabetic and live in Central Illinois, please contact the experienced eye doctors at Gailey Eye Clinic to schedule your exam today and catch any potential problems before they become serious vision complications.