Preserve Your Vision With 20/20 Image Eye Center - Fountain Hills

Diabetic Retinopathy in Fountain Hills

Preserve Your Vision With 20/20 Image Eye Center - Fountain Hills

Schedule Eye Exam

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


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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 20/20 Image Eye Center - Fountain Hills 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, 20/20 Image Eye Center - Fountain Hills in Fountain Hills 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.


Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Fountain Hills

Our optometry practice in Fountain Hills

Photograph of John  Peterson
Hours
  • Monday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Wednesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
  • Dec. 25 Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Spectera
  • Anthem
  • EyeMed
  • Blue Cross

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.
Patient Reviews
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441 Reviews
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- Nov. 28, 2023
Nice and Friendly... service above average!
- Nov. 15, 2023
Brian Lisi, Licensed Dispensing Optician, is excellent at his craft!! His skill at adjusting glasses... is truly incredible. Brian is very kind and professional. He's a real asset! I give Brian 20 stars at 20/20.👍🏼
- Nov. 06, 2023
Thank you 20/20. In town and fast.
- Nov. 02, 2023
very helpful and friendly
- Oct. 16, 2023
Excellent! We are very fortunate to have them right here in Fountain Hills. My family and I would ... not go anywhere else!
- Oct. 14, 2023
Brian at Fountain Hills is awesome!
- Sep. 28, 2023
Great experience all around.
- Sep. 21, 2023
Great experience!
- Sep. 01, 2023
Tara is the best! Very helpful. Love my new glasses
- Aug. 04, 2023
The staff at the Fountain Hills location are wonderful!! Anna went above and beyond to help me with ... an issue with previous clinic in Scottsdale. The doctor was very thorough and friendly as well. I would definitely recommend this location for your eye care needs.
- Jul. 23, 2023
Great Dr. Great support staff. Highly recommend.
- Jul. 22, 2023
Dr. Peterson and Tara were so kind and attentive. Really a great place and a even nicer staff.
- Jul. 08, 2023
Top-notch service from Dr. Peterson and the staff.
- Jun. 08, 2023
Staff was very kind and helpful. Helped me feel welcomed and answered all my questions
- Jun. 01, 2023
They went above and beyond to order toric contact lenses to fit my needs. Great staff very caring!
- May. 07, 2023
My previous attempt to have my vision corrected at another company was unsuccessful. However my expe... rience with Dr. Peterson and the staff at 20/20 Image Eye Center was completely different. Both the doctor's assistant and Dr. Peterson listened to my specific vision issues and needs and the doctor knew immediately what he thought the best solution would be. He was correct and I am very grateful that I'm no longer struggling with poor vision. I'm very happy with the service and will definitely recommend this company to friends and family.
- Apr. 20, 2023
Great experience and customer service.
- Apr. 17, 2023
The staff is very friendly and helpful. Really feels like they care about each customer individually...
- Apr. 03, 2023
Visiting from Canada and was so happy to find 20/20 Image Eye Center in Fountain Hills. The staff is... knowledgeable, kind and very quick. I would absolutely recommend them for anyone visiting and in need of eye care while here or anyone the lives here.
- Mar. 31, 2023
From exam to choosing glasses the staff was outstanding. Minor glass frame adjustments were perform... ed quickly and staff took the time to make sure they were to my liking.

View All 441 Reviews

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 20/20 Image Eye Center - Fountain Hills in Fountain Hills 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.


blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

Schedule Eye Exam