Diabetic Eye Exams

If you have diabetes, your eyes need extra attention. Most people know that diabetes affects blood sugar — but not everyone realizes how much it can affect your vision too. At our office in Lycoming County, we do specialized diabetic eye exams designed to catch problems early and help protect your sight long-term.

Why Diabetes Is Hard on Your Eyes

High blood sugar can damage the tiny blood vessels in your retina — the light-sensitive layer at the back of your eye. This is called diabetic retinopathy, and it's the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults in the United States. The scary part? In the early stages, there are often no symptoms at all. You won't notice anything's wrong until the damage is already pretty advanced.

Other eye conditions that people with diabetes are at higher risk for include macular edema (swelling in the center of the retina), cataracts, and glaucoma. Annual eye exams are the best way to catch all of these early.

What to Expect at Your Diabetic Eye Exam

  • Review of your diabetes history and recent blood sugar control

  • Visual acuity testing

  • Dilated retinal exam — we use eye drops to widen your pupil so we can see the back of your eye clearly

  • Optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans when needed — detailed cross-section imaging of the retina

  • Intraocular pressure check for glaucoma

  • Wide field retinal imaging

Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore

If your vision starts changing — blurry or fluctuating vision, dark spots, floaters, trouble seeing at night, or any sudden vision loss — contact us right away. These can be signs of diabetic eye disease progressing and should not be brushed off.

We Work With Your Whole Care Team

Our optometrists work closely with your primary care doctor or endocrinologist to make sure your overall diabetic care is coordinated. If we see anything that needs further attention from a retinal specialist, we'll get you a timely referral.

Don't wait for symptoms. Schedule your annual diabetic eye exam at the office of Dr. Erika Mabus O.D.

📍 Located in Muncy, PA  |  🩺 Expert Diabetic Vision Care  |  ☎️ Call Today to Book