Diabetic Eye Care in Knoxville & East Tennessee

Protecting Your Vision with Diabetes

Diabetes can have a significant impact on your eye health. High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in your retina, leading to a condition called diabetic retinopathy—the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. At Tennessee Eye Care, we provide comprehensive diabetic eye care to help protect your vision.

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. In its early stages, these vessels may leak fluid or blood. As the condition progresses, abnormal new blood vessels may grow on the retina's surface, leading to more serious vision problems.

The condition typically develops in stages:

• Mild nonproliferative retinopathy: Small areas of swelling in the retina's blood vessels
• Moderate nonproliferative retinopathy: Some blood vessels become blocked
• Severe nonproliferative retinopathy: More blood vessels are blocked, triggering new vessel growth
• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy: New, abnormal blood vessels grow, which can leak and cause vision loss

Other Diabetes-Related Eye Conditions

In addition to diabetic retinopathy, people with diabetes are at increased risk for:

• Diabetic macular edema: Swelling in the macula caused by leaking blood vessels
• Cataracts: People with diabetes develop cataracts earlier and more frequently
• Glaucoma: Diabetes nearly doubles the risk of developing glaucoma

Symptoms to Watch For

In its early stages, diabetic retinopathy often has no symptoms. As the condition progresses, you may notice:

• Blurred or fluctuating vision
• Floaters (spots or dark strings floating in your vision)
• Dark or empty areas in your vision
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Colors appearing faded or washed out
• Vision loss

The Importance of Regular Eye Exams

Because diabetic retinopathy often has no early symptoms, regular dilated eye exams are essential for anyone with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends:

• Type 1 diabetes: First eye exam within 5 years of diagnosis, then annually
• Type 2 diabetes: Eye exam at the time of diagnosis, then annually
• Pregnancy with diabetes: Eye exam before pregnancy or in the first trimester, with follow-up based on findings

Treatment Options

Treatment for diabetic eye disease depends on the type and severity of the condition:

• Blood sugar management: Controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol can slow progression
• Anti-VEGF injections: Medications injected into the eye to reduce swelling and slow abnormal blood vessel growth
• Laser treatment: Used to seal leaking blood vessels or reduce abnormal vessel growth
• Vitrectomy: Surgery to remove blood from the center of the eye in advanced cases

Our Diabetic Eye Care Services

At Tennessee Eye Care, our optometrists and ophthalmologists provide comprehensive diabetic eye care, including:

• Dilated eye exams with retinal imaging
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) for detailed retinal imaging
• Fluorescein angiography when needed
• Coordination with your primary care physician or endocrinologist
• Treatment planning and ongoing monitoring

If you have diabetes, don't wait for symptoms to appear. Schedule your diabetic eye exam today at one of our East Tennessee locations. Early detection and treatment can prevent up to 95% of diabetes-related vision loss.