Preserve Your Vision With Eyes On Missouri - Osage Beach

Diabetic Retinopathy in Osage Beach

Preserve Your Vision With Eyes On Missouri - Osage Beach

Schedule Eye Exam

Have diabetes?

Experiencing changes in vision, such as blurriness and eye floaters?

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of vision loss around the world. Of an estimated 285 million people with diabetes mellitus worldwide, approximately one-third have signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Fortunately, there are several steps people with diabetes can take to prevent or minimize vision loss.

Blood sugar level check


Give Your Eyes the Care They Deserve

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

noraml eye and an eye with diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by high blood sugar levels that damage the small blood vessels clustered within your retina. This leads to swelling or fluid leakage and can result in vision loss and even blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy also raises the risk of retinal detachment and/or glaucoma.

Because the early stages of diabetic retinopathy show no symptoms, many don't realize they have it until the disease has progressed.

If you have diabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. To reduce your risk and protect your vision, schedule an eye exam with Eyes On Missouri - Osage Beach today.


What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?

diabetic-retinopothy-oct-scan

As mentioned above, the early phase of diabetic retinopathy typically shows no symptoms. This is why it's important to have routine eye exams (all the more so if you have diabetes), as your eye doctor can detect diabetic retinopathy in its earlier stages before symptoms become apparent.

Symptoms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy include:
  • Blurred vision
  • Floaters
  • Double vision
  • Near vision problems
  • Seeing dark spots (scotomas)
  • Difficulty seeing at night

What are the Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Non-Proliferative Retinopathy (early stage):
This occurs when small bulges–or microaneurysms–form in blood vessels and can leak fluid into the retina.

Proliferative Retinopathy (later phase):
This refers to abnormal vessel growth and leakage in the retina. This triggers a variety of vision problems such as blurriness, reduced field of vision, and even blindness.

If you have diabetes, Eyes On Missouri - Osage Beach in Osage Beach offers diagnostic tests and treatment options to help preserve your vision. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the treatment outcome.

Diabetic-Retinopathy-Bllod-sugar-level-checker


How Optometrists Diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy

  • Medical history

    Your optometrist will ask about your medical history, including diabetes, as well as your family history of eye conditions.

  • Dilated pupil exam

    Your optometrist will apply eye drops to dilate the pupils so they can see inside the eye and detect any issues.

  • Fluorescein angiography

    This eye test uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid.

  • Optical coherence tomography

    This imaging method shows a cross-section of the retina and can indicate whether vessels are leaking fluid into the retina.


Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Osage Beach

Our optometry practice in Osage Beach

Photograph of Michele Haley
Hours
  • Monday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday By Appointment Only
  • Sunday Closed
  • Nov. 23 Closed
  • Nov. 24 Closed
  • Dec. 25 Closed
Insurance Plans
  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Medicare
  • Spectera
  • United Healthcare
  • VSP
  • Medicaid
  • MetLife

How to Treat Diabetic Retinopathy

senior man with diabetic retinopathy

Treatment begins with managing blood sugar levels and diabetes. This means eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and taking whatever diabetes medication has been prescribed.

Other treatments will depend on the stage or severity of the disease. If caught early, only blood sugar management may be necessary.

However, if you're in a more advanced stage of the diseases, treatment options may include:
  • Eye medications. Steroid and Anti-VEGF treatments can stop inflammation and prevent the formation of new blood vessels.
  • Laser surgery. Reduces the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels and swelling in the retina.
  • Vitrectomy. If you have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, you may need an eye surgery called vitrectomy. This procedure removes scar tissue, blood or fluid, and some of the vitreous gel so light rays can better focus on the retina.
Patient Reviews
4.9
210 Reviews
5
4
3
2
1
- Oct. 06, 2023
Excellent service!
- Sep. 16, 2023
Best optician in Lake of the Ozarks! Been To all the rest, now I have the best.
- Jun. 21, 2023
Great experience! Everyone is friendly and helpful! Making appointment online was easy and convenien... t.
- Jun. 19, 2023
Always great customer service, prices seem to be fair, and Dr. Haley is incredibly knowledgeable. Tw... o years ago I had to be transferred to a specialist about an eye condition. The specialist was so impressed with Dr. Haley that he insisted I didn’t need to return to him and she could monitor the condition. The Lake is fortunate to have her expertise.
- Jun. 15, 2023
Everyone that helped me was so kind and wonderful to work with. They made the whole thing easy, and ... I love the glasses I got! Definitely would recommend them. Also making the appointment was super easy, and online! Thank you to everyone at Eyes on Missouri!
- May. 23, 2023
First Dr Haley is amazing. The best eye Dr. I have ever had. She is very thorough, kind, tells you ... what's going or not going on with your eyes. Thank you for that!! When you walk in the door you are greeted with a kind welcome. Heck everyone is great at the lake. Thank you for your wonderful service. 😊
- May. 04, 2023
Loved all of the options for kids glasses. The staff was friendly and helpful and loved that I coul... d schedule an appointment online.
- Apr. 19, 2023
The best service anyone could ask for. They were very quick to get me and my husband in, dr.haley ga... ve us information on my husband eye condition and even helped with mine. Absolutely the best eye Dr, they also have a very nice variety of glasses frames. All together amazing.
- Apr. 14, 2023
I had a bad chemical get my eye and after flushing it out I wanted to have my eye checked out. I don... 't live at the lake and felt urgent care would not be set up to check my eye. Eyes on Missouri was close so I did a walk in, explained my concerns to the receptionist, she was great and worked me into the schedule.. Dr Haley did a thorough exam and checked my eye. She was great and put my worries to rest. Thank you EOM
- Mar. 24, 2023
Great Doctor (Baley), great staff and great selection of frames and glasses. Very happy with my expe... rience.
- Feb. 24, 2023
Dr Haley is amazing and so is all the staff there! Brought my daughter in for the first time after h... er glasses broke and they were so helpful.
- Feb. 01, 2023
Very friendly!
- Jan. 30, 2023
Great place and friendly staff.
- Jan. 29, 2023
Easy Peasy!! 😛 In and Out!! 😎🤗
- Jan. 11, 2023
Great 1st experience.
- Oct. 02, 2022
I highly recommend this team, the product selection, as well as their professionalism, candor and co... operation. I will continue doing business with them, and have sent 3 additional people there already!
- Sep. 16, 2022
The staff was incredibly friendly & personable & doctor was more thorough than any other eye doctor ... I've ever had! I will definitely come back here for any eye appointments!
- Sep. 13, 2022
Excellent service and amazing staff. Will never go to another eye place again! Example of excellent ... service: My son was rough on his glasses and the store helped fix them when needed and replace them without batting an eye or making my son feel bad.
- Sep. 12, 2022
I had lost my glasses on my move from CA to MO. The ladies were amazing and caring and the lab did a... n excellent job on my progressive lenses better than the pair I had before. Definitely check 🤓 them out. Thanks for all the care ladies 💜
- Aug. 23, 2022
awesome experience and they were alot of help especially when its your first time having glasses

View All 210 Reviews

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQs

What are the major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy?

As the name suggests, diabetes is the main risk factor for developing diabetic retinopathy. Be mindful of your family history of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, get an annual eye exam to detect potential problems early.

Other conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Moreover, those of African or Hispanic descent have a higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

There are a number of ways to preserve your vision and reduce the risk of vision and eye damage due to diabetic retinopathy.

  • Visit your eye doctor for annual eye exams.
  • Control your blood sugar levels.
  • Maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Quit smoking.

The best thing you can do right now is to schedule your eye exam with Eyes On Missouri - Osage Beach in Osage Beach to ensure that everything is in check.

Does diabetic retinopathy cause blindness?

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness among work-aged adults. It affects one in three people with diabetes and often goes unnoticed at first. Diagnosing and treating the condition early on can prevent severe vision loss.


blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

Schedule Eye Exam