{"id":1666,"date":"2020-05-20T01:23:26","date_gmt":"2020-05-20T01:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/?p=1666"},"modified":"2020-05-20T15:03:29","modified_gmt":"2020-05-20T15:03:29","slug":"dealing-with-diabetic-retinopathy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/dealing-with-diabetic-retinopathy\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing With Diabetic Retinopathy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>An&nbsp;eye\ncondition&nbsp;that can&nbsp;cause vision loss and blindness in&nbsp;people\nwith diabetes, <strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong> affects\nblood vessels in the&nbsp;retina, the&nbsp;light-sensitive&nbsp;layer of&nbsp;tissue&nbsp;in&nbsp;the\nback of&nbsp;the&nbsp;eye.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important for anyone diagnosed with diabetes to&nbsp;get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.&nbsp;While <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/diabetic-retinopathy\/\">diabetic&nbsp;retinopathy<\/a><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/diabetic-retinopathy\/\">&nbsp;<\/a>may not present any symptoms&nbsp;initially, in&nbsp;later&nbsp;stages&nbsp;of the disease blood vessels in the retina start to bleed&nbsp;into the vitreous (gel-like fluid in the centre of the eye). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If\nthis happens, you&nbsp;may&nbsp;see&nbsp;dark,&nbsp;floating\nspots&nbsp;or&nbsp;streaks&nbsp;that look like cobwebs.&nbsp;Sometimes, the&nbsp;spots\nclear&nbsp;up&nbsp;on their own, but&nbsp;it\u2019s important to get treatment\nimmediately. Without treatment, the&nbsp;bleeding&nbsp;can recur,&nbsp;get\nworse,&nbsp;or&nbsp;cause scarring. Therefore, early detection is crucial in\ndetermining the steps you need to&nbsp;take to protect your&nbsp;vision.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cause of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/diabetic-retinopathy\/\">Diabetic Retinopathy<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:left\" class=\"has-text-color has-background has-very-dark-gray-color has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"675\" class=\"wp-image-1669\" style=\"width: 1000px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/normal-eye-vs-eye-with-diabetic-retinopathy-1000x675.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/normal-eye-vs-eye-with-diabetic-retinopathy-1000x675.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/normal-eye-vs-eye-with-diabetic-retinopathy-1000x675-300x203.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/normal-eye-vs-eye-with-diabetic-retinopathy-1000x675-768x518.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><strong>Diabetic retinopathy&nbsp;is caused by high&nbsp;blood sugar&nbsp;due to diabetes.&nbsp;Over time, having too much sugar in your blood can damage your&nbsp;retina, the part of the eye that detects light and sends signals to the brain&nbsp;through a nerve in the back of the eye (optic nerve).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Diabetes\ndamages blood vessels throughout the body.&nbsp;The damage&nbsp;to the\neyes&nbsp;starts when sugar blocks the&nbsp;tiny blood vessels that&nbsp;go\nto&nbsp;the&nbsp;retina, causing them to leak&nbsp;fluid or bleed.&nbsp;To make\nup for these&nbsp;blocked blood vessels, your eyes then grow new blood vessels\nthat do not work well. These new blood vessels can leak or bleed easily.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Complications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color\"><strong>Diabetic retinopathy<\/strong> involves the abnormal growth of blood vessels\nin the retina. Complications can lead to serious vision problems, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Retinal-detachment.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1673\" width=\"290\" height=\"234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Retinal-detachment.png 975w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Retinal-detachment-300x243.png 300w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Retinal-detachment-768x622.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 290px) 100vw, 290px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Vitreous hemorrhage<\/strong>: The new blood vessels may bleed into the clear, jelly-like substance that fills the centre of your eye. If the amount of bleeding is small, you might see only a few dark spots (floaters). In more severe cases, blood can fill the vitreous cavity and completely block your vision. Vitreous hemorrhage by itself usually doesn\u2019t cause permanent vision loss. The blood often clears from the eye within a few weeks or months. Unless your retina is damaged, your vision may return to its previous clarity.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/detached-retina\/\">Retinal detachment<\/a>:<\/strong>&nbsp;The abnormal blood vessels associated with diabetic retinopathy stimulate the growth of scar tissue, which can pull the retina away from the back of the eye. This may cause spots floating in your vision, flashes of light or severe vision loss.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/glucoma-eye-1024x674.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1681\" width=\"312\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/glucoma-eye-1024x674.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/glucoma-eye-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/glucoma-eye-768x505.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/glucoma-eye.jpg 1344w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 312px) 100vw, 312px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Glaucoma:<\/strong>&nbsp;New blood vessels may grow in the front part of your eye and interfere with the normal flow of fluid out of the eye, causing pressure in the eye to build up (glaucoma). This pressure can damage the nerve that carries images from your eye to your brain (optic nerve).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Blindness:<\/strong>&nbsp;Eventually, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or both can lead to complete vision loss.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>It\u2019s worth noting that while diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss for people with diabetes, diabetics also run the risk of developing other eye conditions, including cataracts, open-angle glaucoma, diabetic macular edema, neovascular glaucoma, and retinal detachment.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/cataract.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1682\" width=\"310\" height=\"295\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/cataract.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/cataract-300x286.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>A&nbsp;<strong>cataract<\/strong>&nbsp;is a clouding of the lens of the\neye which leads to decreased vision.&nbsp;<strong>Cataracts<\/strong>&nbsp;often develop\nslowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colours,\nblurry or double vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, and\ntrouble seeing at night. Having&nbsp;diabetes&nbsp;makes\nyou&nbsp;2&nbsp;to&nbsp;5 times more likely to develop cataracts.&nbsp;It also\nmakes you&nbsp;more likely to get&nbsp;them&nbsp;at\na&nbsp;younger&nbsp;age.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>In&nbsp;<strong>open<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>angle glaucoma<\/strong>, the&nbsp;angle&nbsp;in your eye where the iris\nmeets the cornea is as wide and&nbsp;open&nbsp;as\nit should be. However, the eye\u2019s drainage canals become clogged over time,\ncausing an increased internal eye pressure and subsequent damage to the optic\nnerve. Having&nbsp;diabetes nearly\ndoubles&nbsp;your&nbsp;risk of&nbsp;developing&nbsp;a type of glaucoma called\nopen-angle&nbsp;glaucoma.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Over time, nearly 50% of people with\n<strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong> will\ndevelop&nbsp;<strong>diabetic macular enema<\/strong>,\nor <strong>DME<\/strong>, which occurs when blood\nvessels in the retina leak fluid,&nbsp;causing&nbsp;swelling in&nbsp;the macula\n(a part&nbsp;of the retina).&nbsp;People with DME will experience blurry vision\nbecause of the extra fluid in their macula.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Diabetic retinopathy<\/strong> can\ncause abnormal blood vessels to grow&nbsp;out of the retina&nbsp;and block\nfluid from draining out of the eye. This&nbsp;causes&nbsp;a type of glaucoma, <strong>neovascular\nglaucoma<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>\ncan&nbsp;cause scars to form&nbsp;in the back of your eye. When the\nscars&nbsp;pull&nbsp;your&nbsp;retina away from the back of your eye, it\u2019s\ncalled <strong>tractional retinal detachment.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prevention<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Managing&nbsp;diabetes&nbsp;is\nthe best way to lower your risk of&nbsp;<strong>diabetic\nretinopathy<\/strong>.&nbsp;This means keeping your blood sugar&nbsp;levels as close\nto normal as possible. You can do this&nbsp;by&nbsp;getting regular physical&nbsp;activity,&nbsp;eating&nbsp;healthy\nand&nbsp;carefully following your doctor\u2019s instructions for&nbsp;your&nbsp;insulin\nor other diabetes&nbsp;medication.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To&nbsp;help&nbsp;control\nyour blood sugar, you\u2019ll need&nbsp;a special test called an A1c&nbsp;test,\nwhich shows&nbsp;your average blood sugar level over a three-month\nperiod.&nbsp;Consult your doctor about&nbsp;lowering\nyour&nbsp;A1c&nbsp;level&nbsp;to help&nbsp;prevent or manage&nbsp;<strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having\nhigh blood pressure or high cholesterol along with diabetes increases\nyour&nbsp;risk for <strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>.&nbsp;By\ncontrolling&nbsp;your blood pressure and cholesterol,&nbsp;you\u2019re also helping to\nlower your risk for vision loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/opthalmology\/\">Treatment<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/opthomolo1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-144\" width=\"279\" height=\"192\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ndiagnosis for <strong>diabetic retinopathy <\/strong>is\nhaving a dilated eye exam. Treatment include medication, laser treatment, and\nsurgery. Staying physically active,&nbsp;eating&nbsp;healthy\nand&nbsp;taking&nbsp;your medication are key ways to manage your diabetes and\nhelp prevent or delay vision loss.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Injections<\/strong>:&nbsp;Medicines called&nbsp;anti-VEGF drugs&nbsp;can slow\ndown or reverse diabetic retinopathy.&nbsp;Other medicines,\ncalled&nbsp;corticosteroids, can also help.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Laser treatment<\/strong>:&nbsp;To&nbsp;reduce swelling&nbsp;in\nyour&nbsp;retina,&nbsp;eye&nbsp;doctors can use lasers to&nbsp;make&nbsp;the\nblood vessels&nbsp;shrink and stop leaking. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Eye surgery<\/strong>:&nbsp;If your retina is bleeding a lot&nbsp;or you have a\nlot of scars&nbsp;in your eye, your&nbsp;eye&nbsp;doctor may recommend&nbsp;a\ntype of&nbsp;surgery called a&nbsp;vitrectomy.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-background has-very-light-gray-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color\">Patients with diabetes who successfully manage their blood sugar\nlevels will help to prevent the onset of a severe form of <strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>. They can achieve this by following these\nsimple rules: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Eating a healthy and\nbalanced diet<\/li><li>Exercising regularly<\/li><li>Maintaining a healthy\nbody weight<\/li><li>Quitting smoking<\/li><li>Strictly controlling\nalcohol intake<\/li><li>Taking any anti-hypertensive\nmeasures according to their doctor\u2019s instruction<\/li><li>Having regular eye\nexaminations to check and monitor any problems early<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who\u2019s\nat risk of developing diabetic retinopathy?<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color\">Anyone\nwith any kind of diabetes can get <strong>diabetic\nretinopathy<\/strong>,&nbsp;including Type I, Type II and gestational diabetes\n(diabetes that can develop during pregnancy).&nbsp;Your risk increases the\nlonger you have diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color\">More than 2 in every 5 Americans with diabetes have some stage of <strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>.&nbsp;Fortunately, you can lower your risk of developing <strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong> by controlling&nbsp;your&nbsp;diabetes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color\">Women with diabetes who become pregnant &#8212; or women who develop gestational diabetes &#8212; are at high risk for getting&nbsp;diabetic retinopathy. Therefore, women with&nbsp;diabetes&nbsp;and are&nbsp;pregnant should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam as soon as possible.&nbsp;They should also ask their doctor as to whether they will need&nbsp;additional eye exams&nbsp;during&nbsp;their&nbsp;pregnancy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/opthalmology\/\">How our eye doctor at Vision Express checks for diabetic retinopathy <\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/rr.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1150\" width=\"221\" height=\"221\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/rr.png 400w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/rr-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/rr-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/rr-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 221px) 100vw, 221px\" \/><figcaption><strong>Dr. Alejandro Garcia<\/strong> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>At\nVision Express, our Retinal Ophthalmologist,\nDr. Alejandro Garcia, checks for&nbsp;<strong>diabetic\nretinopathy<\/strong>&nbsp;as part of&nbsp;a dilated eye exam.&nbsp;The exam\nis&nbsp;simple and painless. The doctor will give you some eye drops to dilate\n(or widen) your pupil and then&nbsp;check&nbsp;your eyes&nbsp;for&nbsp;<strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>&nbsp;and other eye\nproblems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vision Express has a\nregular diabetic clinic at the Rodney Branch to help with checking your blood\nsugar and advice on your diet. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, an annual\neye examination is very important. With <strong>diabetic\nretinopathy,<\/strong> vision once lost cannot be restored, but further vision loss\ncan normally be prevented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The retina in your eye\nhas tiny blood vessels that are easy to damage. Having high blood glucose and\nhigh blood pressure for a long time can damage these tiny blood vessels.&nbsp;<strong>Diabetic\nretinopathy<\/strong>&nbsp;affects up to 80% of those who have had diabetes for 20\nyears or more. At least 90% of new cases can be reduced with proper treatment\nand monitoring of the eyes. The longer a person has diabetes, the higher his or\nher chances of developing&nbsp;<strong>diabetic retinopathy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any signs of d<strong>iabetic\nretinopathy<\/strong>, at a routine eye examination, will be referred to the Vision\nExpress Retinal Ophthalmologist, Dr. Alejandro Garcia. A careful check of the\nretina with a fundus camera will then be undertaken, plus a full monitoring of\nthe condition with the very latest&nbsp;Zeiss Cirrus 5000 OCT. An OCT is\nsimilar to ultrasound testing but uses light rather than sound to produce\nimages. The scan can also detect diseases of the optic nerve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>&nbsp;usually affects both eyes. Over time, too\nmuch sugar in your blood can lead to the blockage of the tiny blood vessels\nthat nourish the retina, cutting off its blood supply. As a result, the eye\nattempts to grow new blood vessels. But these new blood vessels don\u2019t develop\nproperly and can leak easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/opthalmology\/\">Advanced Treatment<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TXcell.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1680\" width=\"301\" height=\"301\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TXcell.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TXcell-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TXcell-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TXcell-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TXcell-100x100.jpeg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 301px) 100vw, 301px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Vision Express, under the very experienced use by Dr. Garcia, the\nRetinal Surgeon on the Vision Express team, can treat advanced diabetic retinopathy\nwith the&nbsp;Iridex IQ 577. This is the top of the line latest laser equipment\nfor treatment of diabetic retinopathy. The Iridex IQ577 is a yellow light\nlaser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This new laser option\nrequires less power and shorter pulse durations to treat the retinal bleeding.\nThis not only improves the comfort level but also can be used more frequently\nto repair damage, than the older laser equipment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The state-of-the-art Iridex\nIQ577 is only used at Vision Express Surgery Centre at Karlione Court, Rodney\nBay, and this advanced yellow laser is not available anywhere else in Saint\nLucia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cVision Express is very oriented to\neye care, especially to patients with diabetes,\u201d says Dr. Garcia. \u201cIt\u2019s very\nimportant because we have many people in Saint Lucia with diabetes. When a\nperson is diabetic for more than five years, they start to experience problems\nwith their retinas. It\u2019s a very silent situation because until their central\nvision is not affected, they do not realize that. That\u2019s why it\u2019s very\nimportant for these patients to get routine eye checks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vision Express also has a very\nhigh-tech laser which can be used repeatedly. Previously, the machine\nophthalmologists used for treatment of <strong>diabetic\nretinopathy<\/strong> left scars on the back of the eye. So once used, it could not\nbe used again. This is not the case with our new laser because we can use it\nanytime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another unique treatment offered at\nVision Express is the eye injection. Some patients are unable to improve their\ncondition through laser treatment, so they need another method of treatment. As\nsuch, the eye injection now available in Saint Lucia for the first time \u2013 only at\nVision Express.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\"><p>\u201cIn the near future, we\u2019ll be able to do retinal surgery for patients with <strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>. It will be a huge plus for us and patients,\u201d Dr. Garcia noted. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Garcia says the most common form\nof <strong>diabetic retinopathy<\/strong> in Saint\nLucia is Type II Diabetes for which patients only need tablets most of the\ntime. However, if treated at a late stage, they will also need insulin. Most of\nthe time, our patients at Vision Express are middle-aged with a history of not\nfollowing proper dieting methods. Which is why he offers the following advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"background-color:#fac300\" class=\"has-background\"><strong>\u201cMy advice to anyone who has been diagnosed with diagnosed with diabetes is to get an eye examination,\u201d Dr. Garcia said. \u201cQuite often, they\u2019ve been diabetic for a long time and didn\u2019t realize it. Get tested early \u2013 the earlier the better. But at least once a year.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Vision Express, we offer patients\ninformation about diabetes so that they are better informed. This means they\nget a better picture of their condition. They also get the chance to get\ntreatment that was not available before in Saint Lucia.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align:center\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\">Come into Vision Express today<\/a><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\">!<\/a><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An&nbsp;eye condition&nbsp;that can&nbsp;cause vision loss and blindness in&nbsp;people with diabetes, diabetic retinopathy affects blood vessels in the&nbsp;retina, the&nbsp;light-sensitive&nbsp;layer of&nbsp;tissue&nbsp;in&nbsp;the back of&nbsp;the&nbsp;eye.&nbsp;&nbsp; It\u2019s important for anyone diagnosed with diabetes to&nbsp;get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.&nbsp;While diabetic&nbsp;retinopathy&nbsp;may not present any symptoms&nbsp;initially, in&nbsp;later&nbsp;stages&nbsp;of the disease blood vessels in the retina start to bleed&nbsp;into &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionexpressstlucia.com\/dealing-with-diabetic-retinopathy\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Dealing With Diabetic Retinopathy&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1668,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1],"tags":[9,11,10],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - 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