Preserve Your Vision With Advanced Eye Care

Diabetic Retinopathy in Fisher's Landing East

Preserve Your Vision With Advanced Eye Care

(360) 256-0203

Have diabetes?

Experiencing changes in vision, such as blurriness and eye floaters?

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of vision loss around the world. Of an estimated 285 million people with diabetes mellitus worldwide, approximately one-third have signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Fortunately, there are several steps people with diabetes can take to prevent or minimize vision loss.

Blood sugar level check


What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

noraml eye and an eye with  diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by high blood sugar levels that damage the small blood vessels clustered within your retina. This leads to swelling or fluid leakage and can result in vision loss and even blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy also raises the risk of retinal detachment and/or glaucoma.

Because the early stages of diabetic retinopathy show no symptoms, many don't realize they have it until the disease has progressed.

If you have diabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. To reduce your risk and protect your vision, schedule an eye exam with Advanced Eye Care today.


What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?

diabetic-retinopothy-oct-scan

As mentioned above, the early phase of diabetic retinopathy typically shows no symptoms. This is why it's important to have routine eye exams (all the more so if you have diabetes), as your eye doctor can detect diabetic retinopathy in its earlier stages before symptoms become apparent.

Symptoms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy include:
  • Blurred vision
  • Floaters
  • Double vision
  • Near vision problems
  • Seeing dark spots (scotomas)
  • Difficulty seeing at night

What are the Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Non-Proliferative Retinopathy (early stage):
This occurs when small bulges–or microaneurysms–form in blood vessels and can leak fluid into the retina.

Proliferative Retinopathy (later phase):
This refers to abnormal vessel growth and leakage in the retina. This triggers a variety of vision problems such as blurriness, reduced field of vision, and even blindness.

If you have diabetes, Advanced Eye Care in Fisher's Landing East offers diagnostic tests and treatment options to help preserve your vision. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the treatment outcome.

Diabetic-Retinopathy-Bllod-sugar-level-checker


How Optometrists Diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy

  • Medical history

    Your optometrist will ask about your medical history, including diabetes, as well as your family history of eye conditions.

  • Dilated pupil exam

    Your optometrist will apply eye drops to dilate the pupils so they can see inside the eye and detect any issues.

  • Fluorescein angiography

    This eye test uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid.

  • Optical coherence tomography

    This imaging method shows a cross-section of the retina and can indicate whether vessels are leaking fluid into the retina.


How to Treat Diabetic Retinopathy

senior man with diabetic retinopathy

Treatment begins with managing blood sugar levels and diabetes. This means eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and taking whatever diabetes medication has been prescribed.

Other treatments will depend on the stage or severity of the disease. If caught early, only blood sugar management may be necessary.

However, if you're in a more advanced stage of the diseases, treatment options may include:
  • Eye medications. Steroid and Anti-VEGF treatments can stop inflammation and prevent the formation of new blood vessels.
  • Laser surgery. Reduces the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels and swelling in the retina.
  • Vitrectomy. If you have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, you may need an eye surgery called vitrectomy. This procedure removes scar tissue, blood or fluid, and some of the vitreous gel so light rays can better focus on the retina.

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQs

What are the major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy?

As the name suggests, diabetes is the main risk factor for developing diabetic retinopathy. Be mindful of your family history of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, get an annual eye exam to detect potential problems early.

Other conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Moreover, those of African or Hispanic descent have a higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

There are a number of ways to preserve your vision and reduce the risk of vision and eye damage due to diabetic retinopathy.

  • Visit your eye doctor for annual eye exams.
  • Control your blood sugar levels.
  • Maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Quit smoking.

The best thing you can do right now is to schedule your eye exam with Advanced Eye Care in Fisher's Landing East to ensure that everything is in check.

Does diabetic retinopathy cause blindness?

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness among work-aged adults. It affects one in three people with diabetes and often goes unnoticed at first. Diagnosing and treating the condition early on can prevent severe vision loss.

Patient Reviews
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76 Reviews
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- Sep. 14, 2024
Husband and I were visiting Vancouver for a wedding. And he left his contacts at home. Advanced eye ... care was so kind and gave him contacts get us through the rest of the trip!
- Sep. 13, 2024
Dr. Garner and the staff at Advance Eye Care are fantastic!!! Highly recommend them.
- Sep. 03, 2024
Dr. Garner discovered the reason for my blurry vision in my right eye and knew right away to recomme... nd I have laser surgery to correct the problem I'm looking forward to better eyesight and winning more pickleball games!
- Aug. 18, 2024
Great care and service! I highly recommend Advanced Eye Care. 😀
- Jan. 24, 2024
Hands down the best I have ever been to! They absolutely know what they are doing and even took real... images of my eyes to make sure that they were healthy almost like an x-ray. Never seen that before in any other doctor's office. Very quick very knowledgeable and very informative. Clear communication! My last visit of visionworks at the Vancouver Mall set me on the hunt for a new doctor and found everything I was looking for and more here 🙏
- Dec. 22, 2023
I've been going to Advanced Eye Care for over a decade now, ever since I learned my eyes are bad. Th... ey're run pretty well and they have good customer service which has been consistent over the years. Building is clean and well-kept. They have some really nice eyeglasses selections in their shop that can be affordable with the right insurance, and they have cheaper options as well. The doctors seem to know what they are doing and can explain what's going on with your eyes that sounds patient and not scary. I've changed insurance a few times and already moved to another state but I don't want to let go of this place.
- Nov. 18, 2023
Very glad I found my new go to eye clinic. Dr. Drew was thorough and listened to all my concerns. ... The man of the hour was Tai who helped me picked out my glasses. After meeting Tai, I now understand there are levels to this game and Tai has achieved the highest level. Tai knows all there is to know about finding the perfect pair. The most important thing, he cares. Tai is truly an artisan of his field. My brother from another mother, thank you Tai!
- Jul. 27, 2023
We have been going to Advanced Eye Care for over Twenty years now and we have always been very grate... ful for all of their excellent services! They are very professional people who treat patients with respect and the best care possible! The entire care package from the Doctors Mari & Tim to everyone of the support staff (Tai & Kristin) and very friendly and caring! Sydney was most helpful in her IPhone Instructions. Thanks again for all your care!
- Feb. 28, 2023
Tai was fantastic and helpful choosing frames and lenses to suit my eyewear needs
- Feb. 25, 2023
Tai Hua was an amazing Optician. Specifically, he went out of his way to fix my glasses that I purch... ased from a different retailer. I give him 5 stars for going above and beyond, I highly recommend going to Advanced Eye Care.
- Feb. 25, 2023
Tai Hua was very helpful when I was picking out my new glasses 😁.
- Feb. 25, 2023
Tai is wonderful! He is always kind and helpful! He is the reason I have come here for almost 6 year... s!
- Feb. 21, 2023
Heather was amazing and super helpful with helping me pick out glasses. I was able to get in early ... and the Optometrist Mr. Garner was very kind and informative. 10/10 would recommend! Advanced Eye Car really does care ❤️
- Feb. 21, 2023
Great service, fast and at reasonable prices for great frames. Maje sure you ask for Tai Hua!
- Feb. 20, 2023
My family has been coming here for years and we have always had great service. Tai Hua always greets... us by name and is really helpful when picking out new frames. We appreciate all the employees here.
- Feb. 18, 2023
5/5 star service. Everyone was super kind and helpful. Huge shout out to Tai for helping me. I had o... rdered some contacts that ended up being on back order for a couple weeks. He figured out a way to get the contacts to me ASAP, kept me informed and was always professional and friendly. I know have my contacts sooner thanks to him and had a poor experience made great thanks to the wonderful staff.
- Feb. 12, 2023
Great service & wonderful staff. Kristin is always so helpful in picking out the best eye glasses an... d sunglasses. Ty is fantastic at figuring out my insurance coverage and giving style advice too. I always have a great experience here- I highly recommend Advanced Eye Care.
- Feb. 01, 2023
From the moment you walk in you are greeted with a friendly smile and atmosphere that puts you at ea... se. Pretesting with Dona is pleasant. All the Dr’s in the office are friendly, and genuinely care about your eye health. Then there is Tai…he knows his stuff about hooking you up with the right frames and lenses for all your needs and knowing how to use your insurance benefits to the max. Overall a great experience! Well done to everyone that works in this clinic, Advanced Eye Care!
- Feb. 01, 2023
I took my teenage daughter to Advanced Eye Care to get prescription eye glasses. Both the manager, T... ai Hua and the front desk receptionist were very friendly and warm. Tai helped us. He was professional and knowledgeable. My daughter took her time to pick out two glasses. Tai was patient in helping her pick out the right ones. It was Friday and almost closing time and he did not rush us at all. I really appreciate how well we were treated. We will definitely be back for eye exams and glasses. Thank you for the positive experience!
- Jan. 31, 2023
Went in for some sun glasses and Tai was very helpful with helping me find which one fit and how the... y looked on me! He really hooked me up!!

View All 76 Reviews

Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Fisher's Landing East

Our optometry practice in Fisher's Landing East

Photograph of David  King
Hours
  • Monday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Wednesday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Spectera
  • Eyemed Vision Care
  • Blue Cross
  • VSP Premier Edge
  • VSP Individual Vision Plans
  • Pacific Source

blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

(360) 256-0203