But most people who have diabetes have nothing more than minor eye disorders. You can keep minor problems minor. To avoid major eye problems, diabetics need to:

-Keep blood sugar levels under control
-Control blood pressure
-Stop smoking
-Have regular eye exams by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist

If you do develop a major problem, there are treatments that often work well if you begin them right away.

At Campbell, Cunningham & Taylor, a thorough retinal examination will determine the health of your eyes and any decrease in visual function.

The most common vision problems diabetics will face are:

-Cataracts
-Glaucoma
-Retinopathy

People with diabetes are 40percent more likely to suffer from glaucoma than people without diabetes. The longer someone has had diabetes, the more common glaucoma is. Risk also increases with age.

Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up in the eye. In most cases, the pressure causes drainage of the aqueous humor to slow down so that it builds up in the anterior chamber. The pressure pinches the blood vessels that carry blood to the retina and optic nerve. Vision is gradually lost because the retina and nerve are damaged.

There are several treatments for glaucoma. Some use drugs to reduce pressure in the eye, while others involve surgery.

Many people without diabetes get cataracts, but people with diabetes are 60 percent more likely to develop this eye condition. People with diabetes also tend to get cataracts at a younger age and have them progress faster. With cataracts, the eye's clear lens clouds, blocking light.

To help deal with mild cataracts, you may need to wear sunglasses more often and use glare-control lenses in your glasses. For cataracts that interfere greatly with vision, doctors usually remove the lens of the eye. Sometimes the patient gets a new transplanted lens. In people with diabetes, retinopathy can get worse after removal of the lens, and glaucoma may start to develop.

The longer you've had diabetes, the more likely you are to have retinopathy. Almost everyone with type 1 diabetes will eventually have non-proliferative retinopathy. And most people with type 2 diabetes will also get it. But the retinopathy that destroys vision, proliferative retinopathy, is far less common.

Some of the warning signs of Diabetic Retinopathy include:
-Blurry vision
-Trouble reading
-Double vision
-One or both eyes hurting
-You feel pressure in the eyes
-Spots or "floaters"
-Straight lines that do not look straight
-Poor peripheral vision

Several factors influence whether you get retinopathy. These include your blood sugar control, your blood pressure levels, how long you have had diabetes, and your genes.

People who keep their blood sugar levels closer to normal are less likely to have retinopathy or to have milder forms.

Campbell, Cunningham and Taylor have offices located in Knoxville, Farragut, Maryville, Sevierville, and LaFollette. To schedule an appointment, call (865) 584-0905. For more information, click on the link below.