Diabetic Eye Exam

Dr. Hooten answers the question: why are eye exams so essential when someone has diabetes? One of the most common questions we get is about diabetes and its impact on the eyes. It's really important for anyone who is diabetic or pre-diabetic to have yearly eye exams to check for a condition called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when abnormal blood vessels caused by diabetes start to leak fluid into the retina, which is comparable to the film in a camera. This fluid leakage can cause various problems, including bleeding and the growth of new blood vessels, which can eventually lead to blindness in extreme cases. As with many disease processes, early detection and treatment are crucial.