Eye Check??

[KatGirl]

So I had my dr appointment yesterday and one thing he asked me was if I had my eyes checked.

I looked at him and and asked him if the DMV counted. He smiled and told me I should have my eyes checked every year.

I've never had any issues with my eyes (I don't even wear glasses). Even before I was diagnosed I never recalled having blurry vision or seeing spots or anything else that would be diabetes related.

I promised him I would make an appointment with an eye doctor.

After leaving his office I thought of a few questions:

1. Do I need to see an ophthalmologist or an optomatrist? From what I read it seems that an ophthalmologist deals with conditions of the eye and an opttomatrist deals more with vision issues.

2. What kind of exam/tests are run?

I was diagnosed last November and have great control. I can't imagine having any eye issues. However, I did promise my doctor I would follow up with one and last thing I need are eye problems.

Thanks for all your help.

[princesslinda]

I'd encourage you to get your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist annually. It may be that your health insurance will cover it because of your diabetes diagnosis.

Just because you don't have symptoms doesn't mean a problem isn't starting that might be detected early on with an eye exam, before any symptoms occur.

When I go to the ophthalmologist, my eyes are dilated, and pressures checked and they look for any hemorrhaging behind the eyes. The exam I have as a diabetic is more in-depth than the exam I got prior to diagnosis (i've worn glasses for many years).

My mother suffered from diabetic retinopathy, so I want to find it early should I have it as well.

[foxl]

Yes, an Ophthalmologist.

I was referred to an actual Retinologist, by my Endo, and I was glad I was. Despite excellent control, the Retinologist states that I am to be seen annually.

No Diabetic Retinopathy to date, but he DID tell me I have hypertensive arterial stenosis, something no one else has observed. I had begun Ramipril 3 weeks before, but now am taking the need for its use far more seriously than I might have.

[Subby]

Definitely the opthamologist. Most optometrists that I've seen (I wear glasses) will kind of look for issues but will mention they are not qualified to check for retinopathy. I could imagine some feeling they have had a check up if unclear on what they are doing.

As for the actual test, my opthamologist who is well regarded, looks really, really closely at my eyes for some time, and will give me a running commentary on what he sees (currently one eye has just started to look slightly "diabetic" to his eyes - far off from retinopathy that requires treatment, though). I seem to recall that some places use some kind of photography system.

[foxl]

Definitely the opthamologist. Most optometrists that I've seen (I wear glasses) will kind of look for issues but will mention they are not qualified to check for retinopathy. I could imagine some feeling they have had a check up with an clear on what they are doing.

As for the actual test, my opthamologist who is well regarded, just looks really, really closely at my eyes for some time, and will give me a running commentry on what he sees (currently one eye has just started to look slightly "diabetic" to his eyes - far off from retinopathy that requires treatment, though). I seem to recall that some places use some kind of photography system.

Yep I had retinography and a physical eye exam. The retinograph seems heavily relied upon at that office, but the physical exam was fairly extensive, as well. He sent a report to my Optometrist, too.

[sarahspins]

Definitely an Ophthalmologist, and let them know when you schedule the appointment that it's for a diabetic eye exam.

The exam itself is really not a big deal, but you want someone competent doing the checking - my exams usually start with a refraction and glaucoma check by a tech/optometrist, and then a comprehensive dialated eye exam from my Ophthalmologist where he closely looks at my retinas for any signs of change or damage... he does retinography too, which I highly recommend having done.

I have hear of countless stories of people relying on an optometrist for regular eye exams, thinking that by getting a dilated eye exam they are protecting their eye health, but many don't realize that by the time most optometrists will spot any damage, it's often fairly advanced. I don't want that - I want anything wrong with my eyes to be caught early, when treatment is not only easier but more likely to be fully successful.

[xMenace]

Just because you don't have symptoms doesn't mean a problem isn't starting that might be detected early on with an eye exam, before any symptoms occur.

I second this. Retinopathy is something you don't want to wait for symptoms with, but if you wish to wait, symptoms to watch for are

- severe blurriness that won't go away, typically in one eye only, that significantly reduces vision

- minor hemhorraging. You'll see streaks of black in your eye. As they continue, they'll turn cloudy. It will become difficult to see. It won't clear for several months and will likely leave residual floaters.

- major hemming. You'll see nothing in the eye at all. Complete blackness!

Of course there's a wide range of bleeds between the two extremes. My first one started with very large fuzzy orange spots.