November is dedicated as the American Diabetes Month and even more specifically, brings awareness to how diabetes affects the eyes. Diabetic Retinopathy is a condition that can develop in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The longer a patient has diabetes, the higher their risk of developing this condition. Diabetic Retinopathy is often the first sign a person may be inflicted with diabetes. It is diagnosed during a dilated eye exam or an image taken by an Optomap machine (available at VisionFirst), where doctors view the blood vessels in the retina. If Diabetic Retinopathy goes untreated long enough, it can result in blindness. Who is at risk? Anyone who has type 1 or type 2 diabetes Patients who do not take care of their diabetes with exercise, proper nutrition and medication High blood pressure High cholesterol Use of tobacco products Pregnancy What are the symptoms? Blurry vision Fluctuating vision Floaters Impaired color vision Dark areas in your vision How is Diabetic Retinopathy treated? The most important step is to have an annual eye exam so any changes to blood vessels in the retina can be detected. In the early stages, ocular treatment may not be necessary with control of diet and exercise. With regular monitoring by a VisionFirst doctors, further treatments of medicine and surgical procedures can be implemented if the disease becomes more serious. Early detection is the best medicine. Articles & Videos What is Diabetic Retinopathy? November is dedicated as the American Diabetes Month and even more specifically, brings awareness to how diabetes affects the eyes. Diabetic Retinopathy is a condition that can develop in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The longer a patient has diabetes, the higher their risk of developing this condition. Continue Reading Keeping your teen driver safe As the week begins for National Teen Driver Safety week, it is important for parents and other adults to discuss safe driving with the teenagers in our lives. Driving is a huge rite of passage for many young people and gives them a great sense of freedom. But with this freedom comes great responsibility. Continue Reading How to keep your child's eyes safe. The safety and health of children’s eyes is always a priority at VisionFirst. And because August is National Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month, we thought it beneficial to review some tips to keep young eyes safe. This means everything from proper safety eyewear to managing the environment in which your children play and live. Continue Reading Home About Patient resources Eye Exams Eye Health Terms Our Doctors Eyewear & Contacts Articles & Videos Contact Careers (502) 459-2020 Schedule Appointment Find an Office Copyright © 2020 VisionFirst. All Rights Reserved.