Preserve Your Vision With International Eyecare Center - Hannibal

Diabetic Retinopathy in Hannibal

Preserve Your Vision With International Eyecare Center - Hannibal

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 International Eyecare Center - Hannibal 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, International Eyecare Center - Hannibal in Hannibal 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 Hannibal

Our optometry practice in Hannibal

Photograph of Calvin Daack
Hours
  • Monday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:30 am - 7:00 pm
  • Wednesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday By appointment only
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • Aetna
  • Anthem
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Blue Cross
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid
  • MetLife
  • Spectera
  • United Healthcare
  • VSP

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
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287 Reviews
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- Apr. 19, 2023
This was a first time visit for my husband and I and we both had very good experiences here. Neither... of our eyes have changed enough to warrant new glasses and we were not pushed at all into getting new ones. The doctor and the staff were very professional.
- Apr. 16, 2023
Excellent attentive service
- Mar. 19, 2023
Dr. Kenneth Mueller is the best eye Dr. there is. He is truly dedicated to his patients.
- Mar. 17, 2023
Makes getting eyevexam a very comfortable process.
- Feb. 23, 2023
knowledgeable & friendly people, nice place, quality products, but a little slow (like most Dr/healt... h services) and a bit pricey. Plan to return.
- Feb. 09, 2023
Excellent services and products!!
- Feb. 09, 2023
Everyone was very nice and attentive. I did have a longer wait than expected.
- Feb. 08, 2023
I had THE best experience I’ve ever had at an eye doctor. Dr. Calvin is super cool and the entire ... staff is nice and courteous.
- Jan. 25, 2023
Every staff member was pleasant and very knowledgeable about her/his job. Dr. Mueller is personable ... and great diagnostician. I have hereditary eye issues and I feel very confident in his care.
- Nov. 27, 2022
Dr. Daack was very knowledgeable and took extra time with my daughter recently. She needs to go see ... a neuro Ophthalmologist and thanks to Dr. Daack and his team for catching her eye issue. We hope to get her feeling better soon. We will definitely be back to IEC.
- Oct. 06, 2022
Very good customer service
- Aug. 05, 2022
Great people and service!
- Aug. 05, 2022
The staff was very friendly. Dr. Mueller was willing to take the time to listen to my concerns, and ... addressed them thoroughly. The exam was affordable, and the technology available allowed me to avoid dilation of my eyes, which was very convenient.
- Jul. 15, 2022
They went beyond normal in my treatment. I feel totally comfortable with this office.
- Feb. 12, 2022
Great place. They do need to improve calling customers when glasses come in. I finally had to call.
- Dec. 25, 2021
They are alway so good to me!!
- Sep. 29, 2021
Great doctors and great staff!
- Sep. 02, 2021
Professional, personable staff; clean facility.
- Jan. 31, 2021
Dr. Mueller is very experienced and friendly! Highly recommend him and his staff!
- Jan. 15, 2021
Great staff and always friendly! Wouldn't go anywhere else and always recommend IEC to anyone that a... sks.

View All 287 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 International Eyecare Center - Hannibal in Hannibal 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