Protect Your Visual Health
If you’re living with diabetes, your eyes require special care and attention. We offer eye exams tailored to the needs of patients with diabetes and prediabetes, helping you better manage your eye health and monitor any changes.
During your eye exam, we consider more than just the physical exam. We aim to gain a deeper understanding of your overall health by reviewing your health history, concerns, and questions. Our comprehensive eye exams combine conversation, diagnostic technology, and a thorough exam by an optometrist to get a full picture of your health.
Let us help you protect your vision. Book your diabetic eye exam with us today.
How Often Do I Need a Diabetic Eye Exam?
People with diabetes should have a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year. Eye exams are vital in protecting your eyes against potential complications of diabetes. Once we have a better understanding of your health, we’ll tailor a schedule based on your needs.
Regular eye exams add an extra layer of defence against eye diseases caused by diabetes by helping us detect changes often before they impact your vision. Catching signs early allows for early intervention, reducing the risk of vision loss.
How Does Diabetes Affect Your Eyes?
Diabetes can affect the blood vessels in your eyes, leading to eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema.
- Diabetic retinopathy is caused by long-term uncontrolled blood sugar, which damages the blood vessels in the retina, leading to vision loss if untreated.
- Diabetic macular edema is a possible complication of diabetic retinopathy that causes swelling of the retina, impacting central vision.
- Open-angle glaucoma can develop due to increased pressure in the eye from diabetic eye diseases.
- Cataracts can develop earlier in people with diabetes and should be monitored.
While regular eye exams are important to monitor eye health in people with diabetes, an exam may also detect undiagnosed diabetes based on its impact on the retina. Through our whole health philosophy, we’ll always check for any indications of health problems during our eye exams.
Monitoring Eye Health with Technology
Our diagnostic technology plays an important role in monitoring your overall eye health. In-depth testing allows us to check for any areas of concern in your eyes and provides a point of reference for future changes. Some of the technology we use to examine your eye health includes:
- Optos retinal imaging: Provides a high-resolution image of your retina, allowing us to examine the blood vessels in your eye for any signs of damage.
- Optovue iVue OCT: Scans your retina (back of the eye), cornea (front of the eye), and eye pressure for an overall picture of your eye health.
- RETeval: Evaluates the function of your eyes by measuring how quickly your cells respond to light and how strongly they react.
Your Healthy Vision Is Our Priority
At Eyecare Plus, we’re proud to offer compassionate, thorough eye care that prioritizes healthy eyes. That’s why we approach your care with a combination of innovative technology and personal connection. We’re here to support you in managing your diabetes and protect your vision from its potential impacts.
Take the first step in taking care of your eyes today. Book an eye exam with us at one of our 6 locations around Greater Nashville and the surrounding area.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diabetic Eye Exams
People with diabetes should have a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year. Depending on your diabetes, eye health, medical history, and examination findings, your optometrist may recommend more frequent visits to monitor changes and manage your risk of vision loss.
Diabetes can affect the blood vessels and other structures inside the eyes, sometimes before you notice changes in your vision. Regular diabetic eye exams allow your optometrist to look for early signs of conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, glaucoma, and cataracts. Detecting changes early can allow for timely treatment and monitoring.
Yes. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the retina and contribute to conditions that affect vision. Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema can cause vision changes and, when left untreated, may lead to vision loss. Regular eye exams help monitor your eye health and identify changes as early as possible.
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It can develop when blood sugar remains elevated over time and may progress without noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Regular diabetic eye exams help your optometrist monitor the retina for signs of damage.
Diabetic macular edema is swelling in the retina that can occur as a complication of diabetic retinopathy. Because the macula is responsible for detailed central vision, swelling in this area can affect your ability to see clearly. Your optometrist can look for signs of diabetic macular edema during a comprehensive diabetic eye exam.
Yes. People with diabetes may have an increased risk of certain eye conditions, including glaucoma and cataracts.
Diabetes can contribute to changes that affect the pressure inside the eye, and cataracts may develop earlier in people with diabetes. Regular eye exams help your optometrist monitor for these and other changes.
Yes. Some diabetes-related eye changes can develop before you experience noticeable vision problems.
Diagnostic imaging and a comprehensive eye examination allow your optometrist to examine the retina and other structures of the eye for early signs of disease. This is one reason regular diabetic eye exams are so important.
Eyecare Plus uses several diagnostic technologies to evaluate and monitor eye health in patients with diabetes. Optos retinal imaging provides detailed images of the retina and its blood vessels, while the Optovue iVue OCT provides detailed scans of important eye structures. RETeval evaluates how the eyes respond to light and provides information about visual system function.
An eye exam may reveal changes in the retina and blood vessels that can be associated with diabetes or other health conditions. While an eye exam does not replace medical testing for diabetes, findings during an eye examination may prompt your optometrist to recommend that you follow up with your primary care provider for further evaluation.
Yes. Diabetes-related eye conditions may not cause noticeable symptoms in their early stages. Even if you can see clearly, regular comprehensive eye exams are important for monitoring your retinal health and looking for changes that could affect your vision in the future.
Yes. Eyecare Plus provides eye exams tailored to the needs of patients with diabetes and prediabetes.
Your optometrist will consider your health history and concerns along with the findings from your comprehensive eye examination and diagnostic testing to determine the appropriate approach to monitoring your eye health.
Our 6 Eye Clinic Locations in Greater Nashville
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Antioch (Hickory Hollow)
- 5323 Mt. View Road
- Antioch, TN 37013-2308
Clarksville
- 2024 Wilma Rudolph Blvd., Suite C
- Clarksville, TN 37040-6879
Hendersonville
- 386 W Main Street, Suite 104
- Hendersonville, TN 37075-3349
IMPORTANT HEALTH COVERAGE TAX DOCUMENTS:
Form 1095-C for the 2025 tax year is available upon request. To request your copy, please contact Eyecare Plus at jennifer@myeyecareplus.com, 615-601-3888, or 419 Memorial Blvd Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Forms will be provided within 30 days of request, or by January 31st, whichever is sooner. This notice remains available through October 15, 2027.