Diabetic Eye Exams in Ontario & Quebec

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Protect Your Vision From Diabetic Complications

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.

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What Is Diabetes?

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.

Type 1 Diabetes

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.

How Does Diabetes Affect My Vision?

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:

Blurry Vision

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.

Diagnosing & Treating Diabetes-Related Vision Issues

Our offices have invested in the latest technology for detecting and diagnosing eye problems related to diabetes.

Fundus Photography

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.

Our Locations

Barrie

You’ll find our Barrie location in the Barrie Primary Care Campus on Bayview Drive.

Contact Information

Address

370 Bayview Dr
Barrie, ON L4N 7L3

Our Hours

Monday
9 AM5 PM
Tuesday
9 AM5 PM
Wednesday
9 AM5 PM
Thursday
9 AM6 PM
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Bayview

You’ll find our Bayview location in the CNIB building.

Contact Information

Address

1929 Bayview Avenue, Suite 107
Toronto, ON M4G 3E8

Our Hours

Monday
9 AM5 PM
Tuesday
9 AM5 PM
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
Closed
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Brampton

You’ll find our Brampton location in SmartCentres Bramport on Bovaird Drive East.

Contact Information

Address

2979 Bovaird Dr E
Brampton, ON L6S 0C6

Our Hours

Monday
9 AM5 PM
Tuesday
10 AM7 PM
Wednesday
10 AM7 PM
Thursday
9 AM5 PM
Friday
9 AM5 PM
Saturday
*call for scheduling, we’re open some Saturdays!
Sunday
Closed

Ottawa

Visit our Ottawa location in Cedarview Square off Tartan Drive.

Contact Information

Address

4100 Strandherd Dr, Suite 215
Nepean, ON K2J 0V2

Our Hours

Wednesday
9 AM5 PM
Thursday
9 AM5 PM

Scarborough

You’ll find our Scarborough location in the Ellesmere medical building.

Contact Information

Address

520 Ellesmere Road Suite 214
Scarborough, Ontario M1R 0B1

Our Hours

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
9 AM5 PM
Thursday
9 AM5 PM
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Thornhill

LMC Thornhill Optometric Centre is located in the Tim Horton’s plaza, just off Steeles Avenue West.

Contact Information

Address

#5 – 1600 Steeles Ave W
Concord, ON L4K 4M2

Our Hours

Monday
8 AM5 PM
Tuesday
8 AM5 PM
Wednesday
8 AM5 PM
Thursday
8 AM5 PM
Friday
8 AM4 PM
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Ville Saint-Laurent, QC

You’ll find our Ville Saint-Laurent location at the main intersection of Trans Canada Highway and Highway 40.

Contact Information

Address

6363 Transcanadienne, Suite 238
Ville Saint-Laurent, QC H4T 1Z9

Our Hours

Monday
9 AM5 PM
Wednesday
9 AM5 PM
Thursday
9 AM5 PM

You’ll find our Barrie location in the Barrie Primary Care Campus on Bayview Drive.

Contact Information

Address

370 Bayview Dr
Barrie, ON L4N 7L3

Our Hours

Monday
9 AM5 PM
Tuesday
9 AM5 PM
Wednesday
9 AM5 PM
Thursday
9 AM6 PM
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

You’ll find our Bayview location in the CNIB building.

Contact Information

Address

1929 Bayview Avenue, Suite 107
Toronto, ON M4G 3E8

Our Hours

Monday
9 AM5 PM
Tuesday
9 AM5 PM
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
Closed
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

You’ll find our Brampton location in SmartCentres Bramport on Bovaird Drive East.

Contact Information

Address

2979 Bovaird Dr E
Brampton, ON L6S 0C6

Our Hours

Monday
9 AM5 PM
Tuesday
10 AM7 PM
Wednesday
10 AM7 PM
Thursday
9 AM5 PM
Friday
9 AM5 PM
Saturday
*call for scheduling, we’re open some Saturdays!
Sunday
Closed

Visit our Ottawa location in Cedarview Square off Tartan Drive.

Contact Information

Address

4100 Strandherd Dr, Suite 215
Nepean, ON K2J 0V2

Our Hours

Wednesday
9 AM5 PM
Thursday
9 AM5 PM

You’ll find our Scarborough location in the Ellesmere medical building.

Contact Information

Address

520 Ellesmere Road Suite 214
Scarborough, Ontario M1R 0B1

Our Hours

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
9 AM5 PM
Thursday
9 AM5 PM
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

LMC Thornhill Optometric Centre is located in the Tim Horton’s plaza, just off Steeles Avenue West.

Contact Information

Address

#5 – 1600 Steeles Ave W
Concord, ON L4K 4M2

Our Hours

Monday
8 AM5 PM
Tuesday
8 AM5 PM
Wednesday
8 AM5 PM
Thursday
8 AM5 PM
Friday
8 AM4 PM
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

You’ll find our Ville Saint-Laurent location at the main intersection of Trans Canada Highway and Highway 40.

Contact Information

Address

6363 Transcanadienne, Suite 238
Ville Saint-Laurent, QC H4T 1Z9

Our Hours

Monday
9 AM5 PM
Wednesday
9 AM5 PM
Thursday
9 AM5 PM

Our Services

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