Diabetic Eye Care

If you have diabetes, it’s crucial to schedule routine diabetic eye care appointments. At Retina Consultants of Muncie in Muncie, Indiana, vitreoretinal ophthalmologist Jeffrey Rapkin, MD, has more than 20 years of experience diagnosing and treating diabetes-related eye disease, including diabetic retinopathy and its complications. Call the office today to request a diabetic eye care consultation or book online.

What is diabetic eye care?

Diabetic eye care is an ophthalmology subspecialty that diagnoses and treats diabetes-related eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetes affects various parts of your body, including your eyes. If you don’t take steps to keep your blood sugar at healthy levels, you’re more likely to experience blurry vision or vision loss. Routine diabetic eye care can preserve your eyesight and alert you to potentially serious issues.

Who can benefit from diabetic eye care?

Schedule diabetic eye care at Retina Consultants of Muncie if you’re living with diabetes and have any of the following symptoms:

• Partial or total vision loss
• Altered color vision
• Vision changes that seem to fluctuate
• Blurry vision
• Difficulty focusing
• Dark or empty areas in your field of vision
• Floaters and flashers

Diabetic eye disease often affects both eyes at the same time, but if you experience symptoms in only one eye, it’s important to seek treatment. 

What happens during diabetic eye care?

Dr. Rapkin reviews your medical records and asks about your diabetes, including what type you have, when you were first diagnosed, and the steps you take to keep it in check.

Next, he completes a comprehensive eye exam. Then, Dr. Rapkin dilates your pupils with special eye drops and conducts one of the following tests:

Optical coherence tomography (OCT)

This procedure captures cross-sectional photos of your eyes. These photos show the thickness of your retina and help Dr. Rapkin identify damaged blood vessels. 

Fluorescein angiography

This procedure uses a special dye to highlight clogged or leaking blood vessels at the back of your eye. It determines your risk of diabetic retinopathy and helps Dr. Rapkin decide on the best type of treatment.

If Dr. Rapkin determines you have a diabetic eye disease, he makes recommendations to prevent it from worsening.

How is diabetic eye disease treated?

Treatment of diabetic eye disease depends on the severity of your symptoms and their effect on your quality of life. Dr. Rapkin may recommend:

• Watchful waiting
• Controlling your blood sugar (to prevent the issue from worsening)
• Focal laser treatment to stop leaking blood vessels
• Scatter laser treatment to shrink abnormal blood vessels
• Vision assistance devices, like glasses or contacts

If lifestyle changes and lasers don’t work, Dr. Rapkin may recommend surgery for diabetic retinopathy (vitrectomy). During a vitrectomy, Dr. Rapkin makes a small incision in your eye to drain blood at the back of your eye.

Call Retina Consultants of Muncie today to explore the benefits of diabetic eye care, or make your appointment online.