The most common procedures and tests included in a diabetic eye exam include: Pupil dilation. Visual acuity testing. Examination of the back of the eyeball. High-resolution, wide-angle photograph of the back of your eye.

Glaucoma testing. About Services Reviews Insurance Contact Us. Helpful Articles. eye surgery co-management. vision therapy. contact lenses. surgical procedures.

ocular disease management. LASIK Surgery. Refraction Test. Types of Daily Contact Lenses. Keratoconus and Your Treatment Options. Optical Coherence Tomography.

Sports Vision. Overview of Common Ocular Diseases. Limbal Relaxing Incisions. Importance of Routine Eye Exams. LASIK Procedure. Eye Disease Treatment. Corneal Refractive Therapy. Macular Degeneration. Latisse Eyedrops. Dry Eye Treatment. Understanding PRK. Can Diet Reverse Diabetic Retinopathy.

EnChroma Lens Technology. Best Foods for Eye Health. Specialty Contact Lenses. Implantable Contact Lenses. Which Patients are Good Candidates for Premium IOL. Pediatric Eye Exams. Eye Safety Tips. Vision Therapy. Glaucoma Treatment. Ortho K. Seasonal Allergies And The Eyes.

iDesign Custom Lasik. Why Should You Consider Eyelid Rejuvenation. What to Expect During an Eye Exam. Comprehensive Eye Exam. Understanding Computer Vision Syndrome. Considering Your Face Shape When Choosing Eye Glass Frames. How Your Eyes Change with Age.

Scleral Lenses. Contact Lens Exam. Diabetic Related Eye Exams. TempSure Envi. Overview of Visian ICL. Am I a candidate for LASIK? Lens Technology. How Exercise Benefits the Eye. Benefits of LASIK. Cosmetic Services.

Visual Field. Myopia Management. Low Vision. Eye Emergencies. Glaucoma Testing. Lumenis Optilight IPL. LASIK Co-management. Common Eye Disorders Explained.

Does your family have a history of eye problems such as glaucoma or cataracts? Will you be getting your eyes dilated as part of your exam to check for any underlying diseases, such as diabetes? What to ask your eye doctor: Has anything about my eyes changed since my last visit that I should know about?

What are the advantages of wearing both contact lenses and glasses? How many hours per day can I wear contacts?

Should I look out for anything in particular when it comes to my eyes and overall health? How can I protect my vision while staying active?

Should I be doing anything differently to care better for my eyes? What are my options for improving my vision?

If you are experiencing vision problems: Am I a candidate for laser vision correction or Advanced Technology implants during cataract surgery? Can I schedule my next eye exam? Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun—even on cloudy days.

Wear protective eyewear, such as safety glasses and goggles, to protect your eyes when playing sports, doing construction work, or doing home repairs. Give your eyes a break every 20 minutes or so by taking in the scenery—look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

It will be harder to focus on things that are near. You should have someone drive you home. Also, sunlight can damage your eye more easily when your pupils are dilated.

Wear dark glasses or shade your eyes until the effects of the drops wear off. Diabetic retinopathy - eye exams; Diabetes - eye exams; Glaucoma - diabetic eye exam; Macular edema - diabetic eye exam. American Academy of Ophthalmology website. Diabetic retinopathy PPP Updated October Accessed October 31, American Diabetes Association website.

Retinopathy, neuropathy, and foot care Diabetes Care. PMID: pubmed. Brownlee M, Aiello LP, Sun JK, et al. Complications of diabetes mellitus.

In: Melmed S, Auchus, RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Skugor M. Diabetes mellitus. In: Sadda SVR, Saraff D, Freund KB, et al, eds.

Ryan's Retina. Updated by: Sandeep K. Key Messages to Share With Your Patients. Encourage your patients with diabetes to get a comprehensive vision exam, including a dilated retinal exam, once a year. Remind your patients that: Many eye problems do not have obvious symptoms.

Tell them to watch for any changes in their vision. They can reduce their risk of visual impairment by keeping their blood glucose level under control and maintaining overall good health. Common Changes in Eye Health. Dark, floating spots or streaks that look like cobwebs.

Dry eyes. Sudden changes in the ability to see clearly, focus, or adjust to changes in light or darkness. Double vision caused by nerve damage or difficulty focusing due to vision fluctuations caused by fluid imbalance in the lens.

Vision Health Initiative VHI Prevent Diabetes Complications: Vision Loss Take Charge of Your Diabetes: Healthy Eyes Diabetic Eye Disease Resources external icon Diabetic Retinopathy external icon Diabetic Retinopathy: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments external icon Eye Care of the Patient with Diabetes Mellitus external icon Eye Complications external icon.

US Department of Health and Human Services. HealthyPeople Primary Eye Care in Systemic Disease. McGraw-Hill; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes and Vision Loss. Updated May 7, Diabetic retinopathy screenings are essential.

Screening can tell you if you need treatment to slow the progression of vision loss. Read more about what diabetic retinopathy is, how screenings work, and the diagnostic and treatment process. Diabetic retinopathy can occur when there is damage to the small blood vessels in a part of the eye called the retina.

High blood sugar levels cause this damage in people with diabetes. Over time, high blood sugar levels cause leaking and swelling of the tiny blood vessels.

Vision loss results from a lack of oxygenated blood flow to the back of the eye, as well as leaking blood vessels into the retina. The two main types of diabetic retinopathy are:.

Damage in both phases is observable during an eye examination with your ophthalmologist a medical specialist in eye and vision care or optometrist a doctor who provides primary vision care.

The number one cause of diabetic retinopathy is diabetes. Having chronic, uncontrolled high blood sugar damages the blood vessels throughout the body, but it has a particularly damaging effect on smaller blood vessels, such as those in the eye.

The retina is a part of the eye that helps you see. It detects light and communicates with the brain through the optic nerve. But if the eye isn't receiving sufficient blood to work properly, the retina cannot complete that job. The eye may try to compensate for the lack of oxygenated blood by growing new vessels that do not work as well.

In the earlier phases of diabetic retinopathy, there may not be any signs or symptoms. Many people with the disease don't begin to lose vision until the disease has progressed into its later stages. Sometimes people may experience symptoms intermittently.

Symptoms may include:. Everyone who has type 1 or type 2 diabetes should receive diabetic retinopathy screenings. There are additional risk factors that may put you at a higher risk for developing the disease. These include:. Preventing any risk factors that you have control over may delay or prevent diabetic retinopathy.

A diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy requires an appointment with your ophthalmologist or optometrist. Most exams begin with an acuity test to determine how well you can see.

To screen the vessels in the eye, the ophthalmologist or optometrist will need to take a picture of your retina. The photo requires that the pupils of your eyes be dilated, or widened, for your provider to see as much of the eye as possible. Patients receive dilating eye drops, which usually take up to 20 minutes to dilate the eyes thoroughly.

The eye drops may sting for a moment. Once the eyes are dilated enough, a camera takes photos of the backs of the eyes. You will sit down in front of a machine that takes pictures of the retina in each eye. Upon getting a clear image, the ophthalmologist or optometrist can assess the condition of the eyes, the retina, and the blood vessels that serve it.

After the screening, your eyes may remain dilated temporarily. For this reason, you may experience sensitivity to light for a little while.

Consider bringing sunglasses with you and having someone drive you home. Do not drive until your pupils are back to their regular size and no longer dilated.