Diabetic Eye Exams in the Greater Toronto Area

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common eye diseases you can develop when you have diabetes. The Canadian Diabetes Association estimates diabetic retinopathy affects 23% of people with type 1 diabetes and 14% of people with type 2.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar damages the blood vessels in your retina. When this happens, your retina attempts to compensate by creating new blood vessels to get the oxygen it needs.

However, these new blood vessels are very delicate and can break easily. When this happens, blood and fluids can leak into your retina, causing diabetic retinopathy, and possibly damaging your vision.

Diabetic macular edema occurs when fluids leak under your macula, which can lead to vision loss.

Open-angle glaucoma is one of the most common types of glaucoma around the world, and the risk of developing it doubles when you have diabetes.

Open-angle glaucoma occurs when your eyes are either producing too many intraocular fluids or not draining them fast enough, resulting in increased intraocular pressure. This pressure can damage your optic nerve and lead to vision loss.

Cataracts are a common eye condition that generally occurs because of ageing, and diabetes can raise your risk of developing them.

When your clear crystalline lens becomes more dense and opaque as you age, it results in a milky or cloudy appearance that could impair your vision. Your doctor recommend contacts or glasses to help manage your symptoms, but in some cases, you may need to undergo cataract surgery to remove the cloudy lenses.