John Kenyon Eye Institute

Diabetic Eye Disease

Diabetes can cause damage to the small blood vessels throughout the body. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the small blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensing tissue in the back of the eye, are damaged. Left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can result in severe vision loss, including blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working age adults. Anyone with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes can develop diabetic retinopathy, but those with Type 1 diabetes and those who have had diabetes for a long time are at greatest risk.

Because diabetic retinopathy can develop with few or no symptoms, it is important that all adults with diabetes have an eye exam at least once a year. Frequent, comprehensive eye examinations are the best protection against the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Your doctor will perform a thorough examination, using advanced technology, to determine if you are at risk or have been affected with diabetic retinopathy. Treatment of diabetic retinopathy is highly effective and most vision loss can be prevented with proper treatment and follow-up care.

Early detection and management is important to arrest or slow the development of the disease. With careful monitoring, treatment can be started before sight is affected. If you have diabetes mellitus, you should have a dilated eye examination at least once a year. Non-diabetics should also have periodic eye examinations to detect this and other eye diseases.

John-Kenyon American Eye Institute is specially-qualified to treat diseases of the retina. Dr. Howard Lazarus, our in-house retinal specialist, is the principal investigator for numerous clinical trials concerning the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and is a member of the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. We are also the only eye care practice in the region using the state-of-the-art PASCAL laser, the most advanced laser technology in the world for treating diseases of the retina. Click here to learn more about treating Diabetic Retinopathy.