Preserve Your Vision With Alvernon Optical - Tanque Verde

Diabetic Retinopathy in Tucson

Preserve Your Vision With Alvernon Optical - Tanque Verde

(520) 296-4157

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


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 Alvernon Optical - Tanque Verde 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, Alvernon Optical - Tanque Verde in Tucson 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.


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.

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 Alvernon Optical - Tanque Verde in Tucson 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.

Patient Reviews
4.9
255 Reviews
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- Sep. 17, 2024
Friendly and efficient staff
- Sep. 05, 2024
Everyone is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Dr. Peterson is an absolute joy, and I love havin... g her as my optometrist. I enjoy my visits so much every year that I pick out a new pair of frames every time. Ian has also been great at helping me pick out what frames best suit my face and match my style. Booking an appointment is easy, and most paperwork is done on a tablet. Although they don't have a huge selection of glasses frames, I've never had an issue of finding one I didn't like.
- Aug. 30, 2024
Dr. J. Lewis and Mary...both very professional, very helpful!
- Aug. 27, 2024
Very pleasant and professional. It was easy to schedule and find a time I needed. The staff were fri... endly and the doctor was very helpful and had great bedside manner. They broke down the insurance and what was covered and there was no pressure to buy anything.
- Jul. 21, 2024
Excellent staff: knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. I finally felt heard about a chronic symptom a... nd left with a plan that has worked! Appreciate this office and staff. Highly recommend their attentiveness.
- Jul. 05, 2024
This has been my go to for eye exams and glasses. Great staff!
- Jun. 29, 2024
Dr Lewis has been helping me with my eyes for going on 20 years now. I always look forward to my 10... to 15 minutes with him. He's great and I always get the best prescription for the time. When he moved to Alvernon Optical I went too. Picked up my new glasses today (Saturday) and everything is still wonderful. The new glasses cleaned up all the fuzziness and I couldn't be happier. He takes care of my wife’s eyes as well and when she started having cataract issues that went beyond what new glasses could do, he recommended the right people who fixed her up. It was a pleasure working with the rest of the office staff (manager, eye tech and opticians) as well.
- Jun. 26, 2024
Excellent vibes. Have had a great experience both times I've been. The exam receptionist is absolute... ly lovely and Dr Peterson has been super easy to work with. I trust what they tell me and feel very comfortable in the space. I would highly recommend this office
- May. 28, 2024
Having used another optical store previously, I visited Alvernon Optical's Tanque Verde office hopin... g for better services than what I had received before. With same-day appointments and reasonable prices, my wife and I were in and out quickly. Glasses were cheaper than at the other store, and were ready before the promised two-week delivery. One visit is not much to go on, but both of us were pleased with our first experience here.
- May. 19, 2024
The staff was very helpful and the turn around time for me new sunglasses was very quick.
- Apr. 09, 2024
Fantastic service. My glasses were falling off my face and bothering my eyes. They fixed all my glas... ses right away. Highly recommended.
- Mar. 21, 2024
Office was very clean and organized, and Dr. Lewis was well prepared with my retinal complication hi... story.
- Mar. 18, 2024
Wonderful, friendly staff. A very caring doctor. Definitely recommend!
- Mar. 18, 2024
Always friendly and considerate and on top of that they are competitive with the larger discount sto... res both locally and online, they truly deserve the 5***** rating they have !
- Mar. 09, 2024
I had just finished hiking at Sabino Canyon and then accidentally sat on my glasses. It was late Fri... day afternoon and I needed find a place to fix them. Alvernon was close by and reviews were great- now I'm adding mine! Sorry I don't have the staff person's name, but they were kind and skillful in realigning my glasses and cleaned the lenses, too! They did this with a smile! Although I didn't buy my glasses here, they were gracious to help with a complimentary service. Thank you! If I lived here, you would be my optical provider!
- Jan. 29, 2024
Top notch experience from start to finish. Hi highly recommended these folks for your eye care needs... .
- Jan. 23, 2024
Great location, got in for an appointment easily and everyone there was very friendly and helpful. D... r. Fuhr seemed to truly care about my vision.
- Jan. 23, 2024
From the time I walked in to the time I left, the staff and Dr. Fuhr were amazing, friendly and know... ledgeable.
- Jan. 12, 2024
Dr was very thorough! Explained everything in detail to where my 95 year old mother could understand... . Did a lot after we left to get the medication she needed at a reasonable price for her. Would give Alvernon Optical 20 stars if I could!
- Jan. 01, 2024
Best in town

View All 255 Reviews

Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Tucson

Our optometry practice in Tucson

Photograph of Jeffrey  Lewis
Hours
  • Monday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Saturday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
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  • Anthem
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
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blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

(520) 296-4157