LASIK Surgery and Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy and LASIK Surgery?

Diabetes leads to a high surge of blood sugar in the body. An increased level of blood sugar leads to all sorts of health complications, including heart disease and kidney failure. Diabetes can also damage your eyesight if you develop diabetic retinopathy.

Did you know that by having a regular eye exam with an experienced eye doctor, your doctor may see early signs of Type 2 Diabetes?

And if you have been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, you should see your eye doctor at least once a year.  If you are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, you should make an appointment with an expert eye surgeon as soon as you are diagnosed.  Women who are pregnant should schedule a comprehensive eye exam during the first trimester of her pregnancy with follow up exam as recommended by your eye doctor.

Some people who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes may later acquire an eye condition known as diabetic retinopathy. At times, complications can occur from this disease, which can cause extreme damage to the eye region. Diabetes can cause damage that can affect your vision and may even prevent a good result from LASIK eye surgery.

Many people with vision issues turn to LASIK for vision correction. If you are diabetic, you can consider LASIK, with a few exceptions. At Trusted LASIK Surgeons™, our online directory helps patients find high-quality LASIK surgeons near them. With our help, you can talk to a surgeon to find out if LASIK is an option for your diabetic retinopathy.

This can sometimes require a LASIK surgeon. The surgeons featured at Trusted Lasik Surgeons™ have years of experience dealing with this and other eye complications that LASIK surgery has proven to be effective as a treatment option.

Symptoms of the Disease

Generally, one may experience zero symptoms of diabetic complications like diabetic retinopathy. Others may have mild symptoms such as vision distortion or some loss in the clearness of objects.

If your blood sugar is not well maintained, you are at a higher risk to develop this condition.

Types of Diabetes-Related Eye Issues

There are two kinds of this eye disorder that may occur from diabetes.

One is known as Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) or background retinopathy. This is where blood vessels start to leak and blood or fluid into the retina. This can cause swelling and mild vision problems.

Laser surgery or injections can often stabilize this condition by sealing off the vessels and prevent leakage from occurring. This condition is more likely to happen if you are an adult diabetic and have had the disease for 10 years or more.

The second is Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy or (PDR), which is the more severe and advanced form of eye disease in diabetic patients. Having Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy is the more concerning of the two types. Abnormal blood vessels proliferate off the surface of the retina causing bleeding or leakage which decrease the vision. Scar tissue can develop and rarely cause blindness if not treated by a retinal surgeon and LASIK is contraindicated in these patients.

LASIK with Diabetic Retinopathy

While LASIK cannot reverse vision loss from diabetic retinopathy, it can still help your vision. LASIK uses a high-energy light source to reshape the cornea, which can help with myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. If diabetic retinopathy has caused or worsened a refractive error, LASIK may be able to help.

It is vital to speak with a surgeon or eye doctor to determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK. Typically, you will need to have your blood sugar controlled to be eligible for the procedure. It is important to manage your diabetes so your diabetic retinopathy does not worsen. In uncontrolled cases, patients might not be able to get LASIK.

If you are a candidate for LASIK, the procedure will not cure diabetic retinopathy, but it will correct any refractive errors. This allows you to see clearly without wearing contacts or eyeglasses.

If you believe you have Diabetic Retinopathy, Contact Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ Today!

Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ recommend you have a regular eye exam not only to track your vision but because a qualified eye doctor may find early signs of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.

Many, if not most of the LASIK and Cataract surgeons featured at Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ specialize in treating both types of this debilitating eye condition. Diabetes can affect the blood vessels in other parts of your body such as the kidneys so dialectics require careful follow up with their diabetic doctors.

Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ is here to help you and recommends you find a surgeon with proven expertise to help keep your eyes safe and refer you to retinal specialists to minimize the complications of diabetic retinopathy.  

Even if you do not find a highly qualified LASIK surgeon near you in our directory, please feel free to contact us at Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ and we will do our best to find an experienced vision laser vision correction surgeon you can trust and choose with confidence.

Most surgeons featured at our site are also perform Cataract Surgery and many perform other refractive procedures, like the Kamra Inlay, which can help with reading fine print (in books or on labels), lens implant procedures, and Corneal Transplants.

Additional Resources on Diabetic Retinopathy

Please visit the following sites for more information on Diabetic Retinopathy

• National Eye Institute- Diabetic Retinopathy

• WebMD- How to Prevent Vision Loss from Diabetic Retinopathy

• Mayo Clinic- Diabetic Retinopathy