Preserve Your Vision With EyeCare Consultants

Diabetic Retinopathy in Centennial

Preserve Your Vision With EyeCare Consultants

(303) 771-4221

Have diabetes?

Experiencing changes in vision, such as blurriness and eye floaters?

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of vision loss around the world. Of an estimated 285 million people with diabetes mellitus worldwide, approximately one-third have signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Fortunately, there are several steps people with diabetes can take to prevent or minimize vision loss.

Blood sugar level check


What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

noraml eye and an eye with diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by high blood sugar levels that damage the small blood vessels clustered within your retina. This leads to swelling or fluid leakage and can result in vision loss and even blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy also raises the risk of retinal detachment and/or glaucoma.

Because the early stages of diabetic retinopathy show no symptoms, many don't realize they have it until the disease has progressed.

If you have diabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. To reduce your risk and protect your vision, schedule an eye exam with EyeCare Consultants today.


What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?

diabetic-retinopothy-oct-scan

As mentioned above, the early phase of diabetic retinopathy typically shows no symptoms. This is why it's important to have routine eye exams (all the more so if you have diabetes), as your eye doctor can detect diabetic retinopathy in its earlier stages before symptoms become apparent.

Symptoms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy include:
  • Blurred vision
  • Floaters
  • Double vision
  • Near vision problems
  • Seeing dark spots (scotomas)
  • Difficulty seeing at night

What are the Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Non-Proliferative Retinopathy (early stage):
This occurs when small bulges–or microaneurysms–form in blood vessels and can leak fluid into the retina.

Proliferative Retinopathy (later phase):
This refers to abnormal vessel growth and leakage in the retina. This triggers a variety of vision problems such as blurriness, reduced field of vision, and even blindness.

If you have diabetes, EyeCare Consultants in Centennial offers diagnostic tests and treatment options to help preserve your vision. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the treatment outcome.

Diabetic-Retinopathy-Bllod-sugar-level-checker


How Optometrists Diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy

  • Medical history

    Your optometrist will ask about your medical history, including diabetes, as well as your family history of eye conditions.

  • Dilated pupil exam

    Your optometrist will apply eye drops to dilate the pupils so they can see inside the eye and detect any issues.

  • Fluorescein angiography

    This eye test uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid.

  • Optical coherence tomography

    This imaging method shows a cross-section of the retina and can indicate whether vessels are leaking fluid into the retina.


How to Treat Diabetic Retinopathy

senior man with diabetic retinopathy

Treatment begins with managing blood sugar levels and diabetes. This means eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and taking whatever diabetes medication has been prescribed.

Other treatments will depend on the stage or severity of the disease. If caught early, only blood sugar management may be necessary.

However, if you're in a more advanced stage of the diseases, treatment options may include:
  • Eye medications. Steroid and Anti-VEGF treatments can stop inflammation and prevent the formation of new blood vessels.
  • Laser surgery. Reduces the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels and swelling in the retina.
  • Vitrectomy. If you have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, you may need an eye surgery called vitrectomy. This procedure removes scar tissue, blood or fluid, and some of the vitreous gel so light rays can better focus on the retina.

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQs

What are the major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy?

As the name suggests, diabetes is the main risk factor for developing diabetic retinopathy. Be mindful of your family history of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, get an annual eye exam to detect potential problems early.

Other conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Moreover, those of African or Hispanic descent have a higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

There are a number of ways to preserve your vision and reduce the risk of vision and eye damage due to diabetic retinopathy.

  • Visit your eye doctor for annual eye exams.
  • Control your blood sugar levels.
  • Maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Quit smoking.

The best thing you can do right now is to schedule your eye exam with EyeCare Consultants in Centennial to ensure that everything is in check.

Does diabetic retinopathy cause blindness?

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness among work-aged adults. It affects one in three people with diabetes and often goes unnoticed at first. Diagnosing and treating the condition early on can prevent severe vision loss.

Patient Reviews
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700 Reviews
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- Nov. 20, 2024
Great staff and amazing service.
- Nov. 06, 2024
Dr Vasi is the best
- Sep. 25, 2024
Excellent service!
- Sep. 11, 2024
My wife went to this office on 9/10 due to a minor eye injury and Dr. Barkey and her staff did a won... derful job not only reassuring and calming my wife, but with the actual handling of the injury. Everyone here seems compassionate and competent. My wife told me she will be coming here from here on out for her eye exams.
- Sep. 04, 2024
They made it very easy to schedule and adjust my appointment. All of the staff were very friendly an... d efficient.
- Aug. 15, 2024
Katlyn Barkey was wonderful! She took the time to explain everything. I left feeling that my eye-h... ealth was in good hands. Thank you Dr. Barkey
- Aug. 06, 2024
Friendly staff and was seen right away.
- Aug. 01, 2024
Awesome staff. Excellent customer service and a feeling of welcome. This was our first visit and I... am grateful I picked them!
- Jul. 27, 2024
Five star service once again. No problem with recommending this facility.
- Jul. 21, 2024
Everyone one the staff there is extremely friendly, kind and helpful except the woman who helps you ... get your glasses. She did not want to help me because my insurance didn't cover my glasses and she would have had to wait til I got paid on the first. So she went into her office and got on the phone. Did not offer to help me pick any out to try on or anything. Everything could have been taken care of and then held til the first when I got paid and I like nice glasses like MK, those were my last pair that broke a year ago so she lost out on a big sale.
- Jun. 28, 2024
Always a great experience. Helpful and friendly staff. Very clean office.
- Jun. 23, 2024
The doctor provided me with information I needed to understand my vision issues
- Jun. 17, 2024
Returning patient… have always received great care from this practice!
- Jun. 14, 2024
Been coming here 15+ years and they have been excellent every time.
- Jun. 07, 2024
I've been going to Eye Care Consultants for over 25 yrs seeing Dr Alevras. Everyone is efficient, k... nowledgeable and friendly. I could not come up with one negative comment after all these years...it's a gem!
- May. 21, 2024
The staff is very kind and professional. You can easily get appointments and once there, the wait is... minimum. The office uses new equipment for eye scans etc. The doctors are thorough and knowledgeable and you don’t feel rushed. Excellent service!
- May. 19, 2024
The doctor was awesome. He really explained everything to me rather than just treating me as a cust... omer. Thank you!
- May. 10, 2024
Great service!
- May. 10, 2024
Excellent customer service! Dr Markey is awesome
- Apr. 25, 2024
Great staff, great doctors and a great eyewear selection.

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Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Centennial

Our optometry practice in Centennial

Photograph of Katlyn Barkey
Hours
  • Monday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
  • Wednesday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
  • Friday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • Aetna
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  • Medicare
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  • United Healthcare
  • VSP

blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

(303) 771-4221