Diabetic Eye Exams in Mission Viejo

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common eye diseases connected to diabetes.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the sugar in your bloodstream damages or blocks blood vessels in your retina. Because your retina needs the oxygen from your blood, it compensates by developing new vessels to keep the blood moving.

However, these new blood vessels are very delicate and can break easily. When this happens, the vessel then leaks blood and other fluids into your eye and retina, leading to possible vision loss.

Diabetic macular edema (DME) occurs when fluid leaks underneath your macula, which is the part of your retina responsible for central vision. When this happens, it deteriorates the macula and damages your central vision.

Open-angle glaucoma is one of the most common eye diseases around the world, but your chances of developing it can double when you have diabetes.

Open-angle glaucoma can occur when your eye is producing too much intraocular fluid or not draining the fluid fast enough. While the drainage angle remains open, your eye is still building up intraocular pressure (IOP) and damaging your optic nerve, leading to permanent vision loss.

Diabetes can increase your chances of developing cataracts.

Cataracts are a common eye condition that develops when your clear crystalline lens becomes denser and more opaque over time. This creates to a cloudy or milky appearance that could impair your vision.