Preserve Your Vision With Family Vision Center - Atascocita

Diabetic Retinopathy in Atascocita

Preserve Your Vision With Family Vision Center - Atascocita

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


Give Your Eyes the Care They Deserve

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 Family Vision Center - Atascocita 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, Family Vision Center - Atascocita in Atascocita 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 Atascocita

Our optometry practice in Atascocita

Photograph of Rhonda  Anderson
Hours
  • Monday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Spectera
  • EyeMed
  • Blue Cross
  • MetLife

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
4.8
136 Reviews
5
4
3
2
1
- Dec. 04, 2023
I absolutely love Dr. Rhonda Anderson. She put my daughter in the correct prescription after she had... been struggling in the wrong glasses. My sweet 6 year old can finally see!
- Dec. 01, 2023
Great staff. Great doctor.
- Sep. 23, 2023
Knowledgeable staff & experienced team. State of the art technology as well - made everything move f... aster.
- Jul. 26, 2023
Talk about lifesavers!! I went in to Family Vision source , with a crunch in time and very overwhelm... ed. Brandie in the front desk was amazing!! She offered several options for me and was able to squeeze me in for an appointment for my daughter the same day! . The entire staff was so helpful, and quick . Not to mention the glasses took less than a week to be ready! Thank you so much for being amazing!
- Jun. 20, 2023
Family Vision Center has been taking care of my family for years, at both Atascocita and Kingwood of... fices
- Apr. 12, 2023
Very thorough and professional in and out quickly
- Mar. 19, 2023
The staff was friendly. The doctor took his time to explain the dx. He took his time and made us fee... l like we mattered.
- Mar. 04, 2023
Great staff and very clean and orderly facility.
- Jan. 10, 2023
Dr. Anderson and his staff are amazing
- Dec. 31, 2022
Excellent service!!!!
- Dec. 27, 2022
I have used them the past two years and they are great!
- Dec. 11, 2022
Best decision ever switching from Vision Source to Family Vision Center. Everyone was so patient and... helpful with my 5 year old. Thank you to the entire staff, and especially Tyler, for helping us pick the perfect frames! We had a great experience.
- Nov. 30, 2022
Very friendly and proficient! They really know what they’re doing and will take the time to share ... that knowledge with you when asked. Everyone from the receptionist to the optometrist was a pleasure to to work with! A special mention to Tyler who helped me find the perfect compromise between my budget and what I had to have in a pair of glasses. I didn’t always like what I heard, but it was exactly what I needed to know to make the best decision where my vision was concerned. I recommend Family Vision Center to anyone looking for a practice they can trust to serve their best interest.
- Nov. 23, 2022
Tyler and Emily provided me with outstanding customer service! This level of customer service will ... keep me coming back.
- Nov. 03, 2022
Dr. Hogan and his staff were wonderful! Brandy is always very pleasant and knowledgeable handling t... he office.
- Oct. 22, 2022
Please come out and support Family Vision Center. My experience every time with Tyler is wonderful a... nd I really enjoy wearing glasses now since you can’t see the thickness of my lens. I highly recommend giving Tyler a try because you won’t be disappointed. 😊
- Sep. 10, 2022
I was very happy with how open they are with affects and treatment when I had an ulcer in my eye. R... ecommend them for any treatment and recovery
- Aug. 09, 2022
I have a special needs daughter and we both had appointments. Dr. Anderson and his team were so pati... ent taking extra time with my daughter to make sure she was well cared for.
- Aug. 08, 2022
Such a thorough explanation given to me today. Dr Anderson was very patient with my needing to know... “why”. Always a positive experience here.
- Jul. 28, 2022
Great service, very professional staff.

View All 136 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 Family Vision Center - Atascocita in Atascocita 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