Preserve Your Vision With Woodbury Eye Clinic

Diabetic Retinopathy in Woodbury

Preserve Your Vision With Woodbury Eye Clinic

(651) 436-3356

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 Woodbury Eye Clinic 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, Woodbury Eye Clinic in Woodbury 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 Woodbury Eye Clinic in Woodbury 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
4.5
248 Reviews
5
4
3
2
1
- Oct. 03, 2024
Great customer service. Friendly staff!
- Sep. 03, 2024
Just need more Help with Cataract s Please Help
- Aug. 31, 2024
so grateful for the kindness and patience shown to me during my visits
- Aug. 30, 2024
Dr.Cole and team are amazing!
- Aug. 08, 2024
I am so glad we were referred to vision therapy and the Woodbury Eye Clinic was a place on the list.... Dr. Cole was so kind and understanding. He explained things that made me so relieved. His team is amazing and they all made me feel at ease. I know we went to the right place for vision therapy.
- Aug. 04, 2024
Dr Cole is very knowledgeable and Personable. He explains things so you can understand it. The team ... he has working for vision therapy is also very helpful and very knowledgeable. I would recommend Dr Cole and his team if you are struggling with vision issues.
- Jul. 16, 2024
An excellent clinic! Dr Nguyen is amazing!
- Jul. 07, 2024
Dr Cole and his staff are friendly caring and Dr Cole goes the extra distance to make sure my vision... is the best possible with my contacts.
- Jun. 07, 2024
Always a great experience visit the Clinic
- May. 31, 2024
I can't rave about Dr. Cole and the Woodbury EyeCare Clinic enough! Friendly, efficient staff and D... r. Cole's clinic, I'm convinced, is the ONLY clinic for neuro-optometry you want to visit. Absolutely sensational exam and initial diagnosis. I can't wait to meet again to review test results in depth and see the plan he puts together to treat my difficult condition. Alas, Google only offers 5 stars. I would have chosen 10 stars if it were an option. Truly amazing eye care!
- May. 07, 2024
Woodbury eye care clinic takes very good care of their patients. Thank you for all you do for your p... atients.
- Apr. 21, 2024
I really like doctor Nguyen. I was not impressed with the follow up for eye therapy, which told me ... "here's some codes, call your own insurance." I mean, you have billing people who presumably get paid. I'm not going to spend my time doing it. The whole point is, you say I need the service, you all ultimately bill the service, you make money from me and my insurance. You can do the other leg work. That said, back to it.. The office is pleasant. I like everyone who has helped me otherwise, so if you take out paragraph 2, I would say this is one of the best eye clinics I've been to. Dr. Nguyen is very personable, helpful, and kind. I referred my husband here shortly after. I liked the gal who helped me pick out my glasses. So, even though the situation in paragraph two irritated the crap out of me, I'll still do a 5 star.
- Apr. 15, 2024
Excellent experience for anyone who is requiring eye care needs.
- Apr. 03, 2024
Very friendly and knowledgeable Dr. and staff.
- Mar. 23, 2024
Dr. Nguyen and all the staff at Woodbury Eye Clinic make getting new glasses a breeze! The exam was ... extensive and the doctor carefully answered my many questions. She is also very friendly. My glasses were ready in less than a week. Pick up of the finished glasses was quick and easy even without an appointment. Thanks all!
- Mar. 18, 2024
The staff was professional and friendly. A great selection of frames!
- Mar. 12, 2024
Dr. Cole was very friendly and explained things very clearly. He also answered all my questions and ... didnt make me feel rushed. All the staff was very nice and friendly as well.
- Feb. 22, 2024
My 91-year-old grandmother had a stroke 9 months ago and lost a lot of her peripheral vision on her ... right side. Dr. Cole and his team have assisted her with slowly regaining some of that vision. The goal is not to get her driving again, but rather to just improve that peripheral vision so she can ambulate safely around her assisted living building. Not only has her vision improved, but so has her confidence and positive outlook. Having been very close to my grandmother for the majority of my life, I have watched how seniors are often treated as though there is no upside to aging. That is not the case at Woodbury EyeCare. In fact, we moved all of her eyecare from a different clinic that felt like a factory to Woodbury EyeCare because she has been treated so well. Thank you to everyone there for the outstanding work! We are very grateful!
- Jan. 27, 2024
This was my first experience at the Woodbury Eye Clinic. Dr. Nguyen made me feel comfortable from t... he get-go. She is extremely knowledgeable and takes time to listen to (and answer) any questions that you might have. I will definitely return to this clinic again for my yearly eye exam!
- Jan. 03, 2024
My doctor is freaking amazing

View All 248 Reviews

Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Woodbury

Our optometry practice in Woodbury

Photograph of Taylor  Lauermann
Hours
  • Monday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
  • Tuesday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
  • Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
  • Saturday 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • Cigna
  • Humana
  • Tricare
  • UCare
  • Preferred One
  • Medica
  • Health Partners
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Spectera
  • Medicaid
  • Anthem
  • EyeMed
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • MetLife

blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

(651) 436-3356