The eye doctors at Grene Vision Group in the greater Wichita, KS area specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of eye problems caused by diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and are afraid of losing your vision, you are not alone. Diabetes affects people of all ages, races, and nationalities. Of the almost 30 million people in the United States with diabetes, about half will eventually develop a diabetic eye disease.
Diabetic eye disease is the leading cause of blindness in working age Americans. Diabetes is a disease where the body loses its ability to control blood sugar levels which become too high. The long-term effects of the high blood sugars from diabetes damage the small blood vessels throughout the body. This can cause heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, digestive problems, stroke, and other problems in other parts of the body including the eye. The small blood vessels of the eye bring oxygen and other nutrients into and out of the eye.
This is especially true of the retina which is the light sensing tissue at the back of the eye. When diabetes damages the small blood vessels of the retina, the result is called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy develops gradually and painlessly. Although good blood sugar and blood pressure control can help prevent diabetic eye disease, significant problems can still occur.
Early detection of diabetic eye diseases is critical to maintaining your vision. Regular dilated eye exams are the only way to diagnose these vision problems early before vision loss occurs. At Grene Vision Group, we specialize in all aspects of diabetic eye disease and eye care. The advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques we use often keep you seeing normally, allowing you to enjoy life to its fullest.
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in working-age Americans. This condition occurs in more than half of all diabetics. The longer a person lives with diabetes, and the less controlled their blood sugar, the more likely they are to develop the condition.
