Diabetes can affect the retina, sometimes before you notice a change in vision. At Sigma, your doctor evaluates your eye health and recommends the follow-up your findings call for.
Diabetes can damage the small blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of your eye. Regular eye exams can find changes even when you see clearly. Your doctor explains when extra pictures or scans would help.
OCT is a light-based scan that shows the layers at the back of your eye and can help find swelling or fluid. OCT-A adds a picture of blood flow in the tiny vessels there, without a dye injection. Your doctor uses these views with the eye exam to understand changes caused by diabetes, macular degeneration, and other retinal conditions.
OCT-A is not available at Marion. Call 319-462-4891 to arrange imaging at the appropriate Sigma office.
Your doctor determines when OCT-A is useful. It complements the examination and does not replace dilation (drops that widen your pupils so we can see inside your eyes) or every test that uses dye to show blood flow at the back of the eye.
About Our ImagingYes, follow the eye examination schedule recommended for your diabetes care. Clear vision alone does not rule out changes at the back of the eye.
Not always. Your doctor decides which imaging and examination methods are needed. Imaging and dilation (drops that widen your pupils so we can see inside your eyes) can provide different information.
