At LMC Optometry, we know that ocular health is a big part of overall health. We also know that diabetes can severely impact your vision. People with diabetes should prioritize eye care as part of their overall approach to managing the disease.
Approximately 11 million Canadians are currently living with diabetes. Annual eye exams are recommended for anyone with the disease.
Diabetes is a disease involving the production of insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas that helps your body regulate its blood sugar levels.
If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or it can’t properly use the insulin it makes. Too little insulin interferes with blood sugar levels, often elevating blood glucose.
People whose bodies don’t produce insulin on their own have Type 1 diabetes. Also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, this form of the disease impacts roughly 10% of those with diabetes overall.
With Type 1 diabetes, the body has an autoimmune response and attacks the pancreas, making insulin production impossible.
The majority of people living with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes. This type makes people’s bodies either unable to produce enough insulin or incapable of using insulin properly.
Both types of diabetes need to be closely monitored, as they can lead to vision complications.
If you have diabetes, you might not notice any symptoms of vision loss or change at first. But diabetes can lead to serious vision problems and even blindness if left unchecked. Eventual symptoms may include:
Changing your diabetes medication or altering your care regime can lead to blurry vision as your body adjusts to its new situation.
If your blood sugar is elevated you might get extra fluid in your eyes, causing your vision to be less than ideal. This is normally temporary, and stops when your blood sugar levels return to normal. However, you should still visit your optometrist to rule out more serious issues.
Blood glucose levels that remain elevated for a long period of time can lead to damage in the eye’s blood vessels.
Many of these delicate blood vessels feed the retina. When they break, your retina may compensate for the burst vessels by growing even more fragile ones. These new vessels can leak fluid into the retina, creating scar tissue or leading to retinal detachment.
The symptoms might be so mild at first that you don’t even notice, but diabetic retinopathy can lead to permanent vision loss.
Diabetic macular edema is a condition that often progresses from diabetic retinopathy. When blood vessels in the retina burst, fluid can leak into the macula.
The macula is the part of your eye responsible for central vision. It allows you to perform tasks like recognizing faces, reading, and driving. When blood vessels leak into the macula, it swells, damaging this essential part of your vision.
Our offices have invested in the latest technology for detecting and diagnosing eye problems related to diabetes.
We use a high-powered fundus camera to take full-colour photographs of your fundus (the inside back surface of the eye).
By looking at these photographs, we can examine your macula, retina, retinal vascular system, and optic disc for signs of disease. Your eyes may be dilated to help us take effective images.
We use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to take a cross-section image of your retina. This picture lets us see the various layers of the retina and measure them. The measurements and detailed image help us diagnose diabetic eye conditions that might be impacting the retina.
OCT is a non-invasive test and the equipment only scans your eye; it doesn’t touch it.
Another important test for diabetic eye disease is optomap imaging, which takes an ultra-widefield picture of your retina. This imaging technology allows us to look at the blood vessels in your retina up close to check for various eye issues and other health conditions.
Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among Canadians. People with diabetes also have a higher risk of other eye diseases like cataracts and glaucoma. Regular eye exams can catch ocular issues at an early stage when they’re more manageable.
Don’t delay; get in touch and book your appointment today.
Our optometrist at LMC can diagnose and manage conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and digital eye strain.
It’s recommended to have an eye exam in an eye clinic at least once every two years, or annually if you have existing eye conditions or risk factors.
For minor vision issues like 20/40 acuity, contacts are usually an effective choice for correction. Different lenses are available at LMC Optometry for different refractive errors.
Annual eye exams are completely covered by OHIP for children (19 and under) and seniors (65 and older). However, adults aged 20-64 must pay for routine eye exams themselves or use private insurance, as these exams are not covered by OHIP.
You can book an appointment online through the LMC Optometry website or by calling the specific location nearest to you.
You’ll find our Barrie location in the Barrie Primary Care Campus on Bayview Drive.
You’ll find our Bayview location in the CNIB building.
We have moved from King Street to Martha Street where we are on the second floor of the Bolton Professional Building.
You’ll find our Brampton location in SmartCentres Bramport on Bovaird Drive East.
You’ll find our London clinic inside the Oxford Health Centre on the fourth floor.
Visit our Ottawa location in Cedarview Square off Tartan Drive.
Come by our beautiful Richmond Hill location on Tower Hill Road just down from William Neal Community Park. We’re right between Tower Hill-Bathurst Animal Hospital and Aviva Nails, and there’s lots of parking available. Now offering vision therapy.
Come by our beautiful Richmond Hill location on Tower Hill Road just down from William Neal Community Park. We’re right between Tower Hill-Bathurst Animal Hospital and Aviva Nails, and there’s lots of parking available.
You’ll find our Scarborough location in the Ellesmere medical building.
LMC Thornhill Optometric Centre is located in the Tim Horton’s plaza, just off Steeles Avenue West.
You’ll find our Barrie location in the Barrie Primary Care Campus on Bayview Drive.
You’ll find our Bayview location in the CNIB building.
We have moved from King Street to Martha Street where we are on the second floor of the Bolton Professional Building.
You’ll find our Brampton location in SmartCentres Bramport on Bovaird Drive East.
You’ll find our London clinic inside the Oxford Health Centre on the fourth floor.
Visit our Ottawa location in Cedarview Square off Tartan Drive.
Come by our beautiful Richmond Hill location on Tower Hill Road just down from William Neal Community Park. We’re right between Tower Hill-Bathurst Animal Hospital and Aviva Nails, and there’s lots of parking available. Now offering vision therapy.
Come by our beautiful Richmond Hill location on Tower Hill Road just down from William Neal Community Park. We’re right between Tower Hill-Bathurst Animal Hospital and Aviva Nails, and there’s lots of parking available.
You’ll find our Scarborough location in the Ellesmere medical building.
LMC Thornhill Optometric Centre is located in the Tim Horton’s plaza, just off Steeles Avenue West.
“Service is always fast. Staff are friendly. Dr. Blackstein has taken excellent care of me since I began seeing him.”
Lori Cutler – Vaughn
“The Optometrist explained everything to us and did a very thorough exam. She was very helpful and patient, and answered all of our questions.”
Deborah Cormack – Barrie
“Staff was happy and friendly. It was a pleasure to see, think I will return in a year for another check up.”
Michael Kondring – Barrie
“Dr M Sher was really good.”
Jim Gray – Vaughn
“Very good customer service.”
Johnny Geniole – Barrie
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