Diabetic Eye Exams

Do you have diabetes? Is your medical doctor asking you to get your eyes checked? Do you wonder why? 

Uncontrolled diabetes causes the walls of blood vessels to weaken, resulting in blockages, leaks and new leaky blood vessels- called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the United States. With a dilated eye exam and retinal imaging, Drs. Mary Ferris and Angela Loeb can see your blood vessels at work.  The eye is the one place in the body where connective, vascular, and neurological tissue can be seen in a noninvasive way. The sooner retinopathy is found, the better your chances are of maintaining vision. 

The Rainier Eye doctors send a report about your eye health to your medical doctor (PCP, endocrinologist, or internist) and they use this information to tailor your diabetes treatment plan- providing useful feedback for your whole care team. One thing many people don’t know is that diabetic exams fall under medical insurance coverage, not vision insurance. We schedule dilated diabetic exams separately from routine vision exams to allow time for a thorough exam, imaging, and counseling about your condition and treatment course. 
 

Photos below: Normal retina compared to an example of diabetic retinopathy.