At Retina Specialists, we know that diabetes can quietly damage your eyes without you noticing. Dr. Robert E. Torti and our team of retinal experts help patients across North Texas protect their sight. Early detection and prompt treatment can prevent 95% of blindness associated with diabetic eye disease, according to The Lancet Global Health. We provide advanced care for diabetic retinopathy at our offices in Desoto, Plano, Mesquite, Waxahachie, and Dallas, Texas.
Many people believe they will notice if diabetes begins to damage their eyes. However, early-stage diabetic retinopathy is completely silent. It causes physical changes in your retina without triggering pain or warning signs. By the time you notice vision changes, the disease is often already advanced.
Here are five signs of diabetic retinopathy:
The most dangerous sign of diabetic retinopathy is having no symptoms at all. In the early stages, chronic high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in your retina. Because the retina has no pain receptors, this damage happens silently.
According to the American Diabetes Association, doctors can identify and treat advanced eye disease in patients who are completely asymptomatic. You cannot rely on your vision to tell you when something is wrong. That is why we recommend a regular diabetic eye exam to catch changes early.
Do you notice your vision is blurry one day and clear the next? This fluctuation is a common warning sign. High blood sugar can cause the lens of your eye to swell, making your vision blurry.
While this temporary blurriness can resolve when your blood sugar stabilizes, persistent blurring is different. It can mean fluid is leaking into your macula, the part of your eye responsible for sharp central vision. We can detect this leakage during a comprehensive dilated eye exam before it causes permanent damage.
Floaters look like tiny spots, threads, or cobwebs drifting across your field of vision. While occasional floaters are common as we age, sudden new floaters are a major concern for diabetic patients.
In advanced stages of the disease, fragile new blood vessels grow and leak blood into the back of your eye. This bleeding can appear as a sudden shower of dark spots. If you notice new floaters, you should contact our team immediately for an evaluation.
As diabetic eye disease progresses, it can cause blind spots or dark patches in your vision. This happens when damaged blood vessels completely block blood flow to parts of your retina.
Without oxygen, these areas of the retina stop working. Waiting for these dark spots to appear is highly risky. The American Academy of Ophthalmology reports that only 60% of people with diabetes get their recommended yearly eye screenings. Regular exams help us protect your vision before these blind spots develop.
High blood pressure is a silent risk factor that directly accelerates diabetic eye damage. When you have both diabetes and hypertension, the mechanical stress on your retinal blood vessels increases.
A systematic review of 4,940 participants in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews studied blood pressure control. It found that intensive control reduced the five-year risk of diabetic retinopathy. Our team works with you to monitor your retinal health as you manage these systemic conditions.
At Retina Specialists, we are dedicated to helping you preserve your sight. If you have diabetes, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Please contact our team today to schedule your exam at one of our convenient North Texas locations.
