What Happens During a Diabetic Eye Exam?

The American Diabetes Association suggests a diabetic eye exam for people with diabetes. This eye exam is different from your regular eye tests. It aims to determine the degree of damage in your eyes due to this chronic ailment. Knowing what happens during a diabetic eye exam can help you prepare for it. Here are the details.

 

Before the Exam

You need to plan how you will travel to and from the clinic. Your eyes will be blurred hours after the exam. It is safer to have someone assist and drive you home after the test. Make sure you bring your contact lenses or eyeglasses; also bring your sunglasses because your eyes will be more sensitive to light after the exam.

During the Exam

Your eye doctor will ask you to read from an eye chart. Dilating eye drops will sting for a short while. They will blur your vision about 15 minutes after application. Once the eye drops start working, the eye doctor will ask you to look into a specialized camera, which will not touch your eyes. The camera will take photos of the back of your eyes. You will see a flash each time your eye doctor takes a photo. This visit will last about 30 minutes.

After the Exam

You can go home after the exam. Your companion will drive you because your vision will be blurry. Expect your surroundings to look brighter than usual. Your exam results will not be ready right after the exam, but may take a few weeks.

 

Eye Ailments That Affect Diabetics

Annual diabetic eye exams can help maintain your eye health. These checks can help prevent serious eye conditions that may lead to vision loss. Your doctor can help you understand how diabetes can damage your eyes. Here are the common eye ailments that can develop if you have diabetes:

 

• DME or diabetic macular edema happens when the center of the retina (macula) swells up. Vision loss may happen if the macula leaks

• Diabetic retinopathy happens when the blood vessels in the eyes start to leak fluid and blood into the retina. This damages the retina, which leads to irreversible vision loss. Early detection leads to early treatment

The Tests You Will Have During an Eye Exam

A diabetic eye exam is different from a regular eye exam. There are specific tests that can help your eye doctor spot any changes in your eyes. Your eye doctor will focus on your eye’s delicate blood vessels and retinal health. Here are some of the tests you should expect during a diabetic eye exam:

 

• A glaucoma test is important for the early treatment of this serious eye ailment. It will test your intraocular pressure, which happens because of eye fluid accumulation. A tonometer will measure the pressure

• An OCT or optical coherence tomography allows your eye doctor to see the fine details of your retina

• Pupil dilation will provide information about the eye structures on the back of the eye

• Vision test is a basic part of every eye exam. You will need to read the letters from a chart during this test

• Fluorescein angiography helps detect damaged blood vessels in your eyes
  
   

A diabetic eye exam can help preserve your vision long after your diagnosis. At Sight & Specs Optometry, we help our patients achieve a high level of eye health. Please visit our facility in Queens, New York, for a one-on-one consultation. Please call 718-470-2280 to set an appointment or ask about our diabetic eye exam packages.