diabetic-eye-exams

Does Diabetes Cause Glaucoma?

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If you are getting treatment for glaucoma in Wilmington, NC, you may be wondering what caused you to get this condition. Glaucoma is a serious condition that can lead to blindness, so it’s vital that you get treatment as soon as possible. But still, questions may linger as to the cause. Diabetes is one possible reason. Here is more information about the connection between diabetes and glaucoma.

Understanding Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition where the pressure in your eye increases. This leads to damage of the optic nerve. In turn, your vision will be impaired eventually. Loss of vision usually begins around the periphery of your field of vision. Left untreated, your field of vision becomes less and less until you may be left blind.

Understanding Diabetes

Diabetes is a progressive disease that damages the blood vessels in your body, among other things. The blood vessels in your eyes are responsible for helping to keep your eyes healthy. But with diabetic retinopathy, which is when eye vessels are damaged, the blood vessels in the retina weaken. They can lead to a blockage in the eye’s natural drainage process, which in turn can lead to that build-up of pressure that is associated with glaucoma.

The Connection Between Glaucoma and Diabetes

As you can see, there is a very strong connection between diabetes and glaucoma. If you have diabetes, it’s essential that you seek medical attention to get it under control. However, this in no way diminishes the need to see your eye doctor in Wilmington, NC. In fact, glaucoma can develop for other reasons besides diabetes. And, the sooner you get treatment for glaucoma in Wilmington, NC, the more sight you may save.

Contact your Wilmington, NC eye doctor today for an eye exam that will include a glaucoma test.

When Is It Bad Enough to See an Emergency Eye Doctor?

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If you have an eye-related emergency, you might just go to your nearest urgent care or emergency room. However, you should know that emergency eye doctors are available in the Wilmington area, and they can offer specialized care based on your symptoms. Seeing a regular doctor or medical professional can certainly help address the problem, but you may need someone who has more direct experience with your individual symptoms.

So just how bad is bad enough? We’ll look at when it’s time to call someone immediately.

Injuries and Accidents

In some cases, there’s no question of whether you need emergency eye care. For instance, if you’ve broken your glasses and you need them to see, you don’t really have the luxury of waiting. However, experts also recommend going to the eye doctor in the following cases:

  • High-impact injury to the eye (e.g., punch, etc.)
  • Sudden loss of vision (e.g., blurriness, etc.)
  • Changes in vision (e.g. flashes of light, floaters, etc.)
  • Sudden and severe headaches related to vision
  • Eye scratches
  • Swollen eyes
  • Eye infections

Merely having dry or itchy eyes wouldn’t be enough to warrant a trip to the emergency eye doctor, though you will still want to schedule an appointment for a regular checkup if you’re experiencing any kind of discomfort.

Call an Expert

You should at least call an expert if you’re concerned about your eyes. For instance, you may not know you have a scratched cornea, but it will typically be accompanied by severe pain in the eye. An expert can tell you more about whether it makes sense to wait or take action. Seeing an optometrist for eye emergencies in Wilmington, NC can also make it easier to catch smaller problems before they turn into bigger issues.