Type 2 diabetes is one of the most widespread chronic illnesses in the world, and it affects over 800 million people globally.
It stems from a condition called hyperglycemia, where your bloodstream has too much blood sugar (glucose) for your body to safely manage and eliminate.
This illness often goes untreated in the early stages because many people don’t realize they have it, and the damage can affect nearly the entire body.
Over time, it can affect your eyes, causing an illness called diabetic retinopathy. It’s essential to catch this complication of diabetes as early as possible.
If you live in McKinney, Texas, let’s help keep you ahead of the effects of diabetes and diabetic eye disease in the new year. Let Drs. Hena A. Khaja, Soha Rafi, and our team at Texas Eye Doctors, P.A., help preserve your vision.
When you develop type 2 diabetes, your body has too much blood sugar (or blood glucose) in your circulatory system, which is supposed to be regulated by a hormone called insulin.
While we need blood sugar to fuel cells, too much causes hyperglycemia that, over time, can develop into diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy is one of many long-term complications of diabetes. When blood glucose levels are too high, abnormal blood vessels can develop in the eyes.
These blood vessels don’t function properly, causing leaks and closures that halt the flow of nourishment to your retina, the part of your eye that enables clear, focused vision.
This disease has multiple stages, with mild symptoms in the early stages to severe vision loss and blindness in the late stages.
Early detection is essential for preserving vision. Diabetes doesn’t always present with symptoms as it develops, which means eye problems related to it may start sooner than you think.
Getting a comprehensive exam helps us test for specific complications that diabetic retinopathy causes. If it's confirmed, we will help you reduce the impact it will have on your life.
The timeframe for exams varies with the type of diabetes and the extent to which this illness is managed. Our team highly recommends a yearly exam for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes affects nearly every part of your body over time, and when it reaches your eyes, the damage can lead to blindness without proper care. Make an appointment with Dr. Khaja, Dr. Rafi, and our Texas Eye Doctors P.A. team today to protect your vision if you have diabetes.
