Respecting Diabetic Risks

For patients that have been diagnosed with diabetes, there are few things more important for your vision than getting regular eye exams. Diabetes presents a risk for a variety of eye diseases but there are ways we can help manage its negative impact on your quality of life. Our optometrists take a detailed analysis of your eyes to ensure we are ahead of any condition influenced by diabetes.

Come see us at LaFerla Family Eye Care if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. We can evaluate you for associated diabetic eye conditions before they damage your vision.

Responsible Yearly Visits

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should visit our practice annually. Some eye diseases, like glaucoma, can be present without any symptoms and have an increased chance of occuring in diabetic patients. Our goal at LaFerla Family Eye Care is always to maintain your ocular health. All we need from you is a visit once a year.

Seeing the Whole Picture

LaFerla Family Eye Care uses modern fundus photography to get a complete picture of your ocular health. It helps us understand what is happening at the back of your eye and better manage eye diseases linked to diabetes.

The fundus is the inside, back surface of the eye that includes the retina and macula. Fundus photography allows us to see through a dilated pupil with clarity. LaFerla Family Eyecare uses a top-of-the-line OPTOS optomap scan that can perform fundus photography on both dilated and undilated pupils. This digital retinal imaging provides high-definition images of the retina and optic nerve, giving us details on potential eye conditions caused by diabetes.

Diabetic Retinopathy

The retina is a sensitive part of the eye that is responsible for providing your sight. Increased blood sugar due to diabetes can damage tiny vessels in the retina, leading to a disease like diabetic retinopathy.

If left untreated, total vision loss may occur. Diabetic retinopathy usually develops slowly at its onset, so annual eye exams are essential for catching this disease. Diabetic retinopathy symptoms can include:

Sudden changes in vision
Blurred vision
Eye floaters and spots
Double vision
Eye pain

Diabetic Macular Edema

A buildup of fluid that leads to swelling in the center of the retina is known as macular edema. The macula is the most central part of the retina and responsible for central vision. When the blood vessels in the eye are damaged, they can leak into the macula, causing it to swell. People diagnosed with diabetes have a much higher risk of experiencing macular edema.

Regular diabetic eye exams are essential for slowing the progress of complications in the retina.

Managing Diabetes and Your Eyes

By regularly examining our patients who have diabetes, we minimize the risk for more threatening ocular conditions. We assess all aspects of vision during a diabetic eye exam to ensure eye disease hasn’t interrupted your sense of sight.

Let’s commit to keeping vision protected from diabetic-related eye disease.

Book a Diabetic Eye Exam

Our Location

Wanna see what we are all about?

Located right off of NW Barry Rd in Kansas City, our office is a balance between clinical, high tech, high fashion, and your friend’s cozy living room.

Where to park?

LaFerla Family Eye Care is located right across the street from Park Hill High School in Kansas City. There is ample of parking right in front of the entrance of our establishment.