Call Us

Highland, MI White Lake, MI

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT

  • Home
  • About
    • Our Practice
    • Meet the Doctor
  • Services
  • Eyewear & Lenses
  • Patient Center
    • Patient Forms
    • Insurance
    • Testimonials
    • Promotions
    • Request An Appointment
    • Blog
  • Contact Us
Eyecare Connection
Highland, MI White Lake, MI

Can Diet Reverse Diabetic Retinopathy

Can Diet Reverse Diabetic Retinopathy

Eye disease that is caused by diabetes is currently the number one cause of blindness and vision loss. Due to the increased risk in diabetic patients, doctors recommend that people over 30 with diabetes get an annual dilated eye exam. Diabetic patients under 30 should get this exam five years after they have been diagnosed.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that is caused by damage to the retina. Patients that have diabetes may also have experienced extended periods of time where their blood sugar was elevated. The high levels of blood sugar damage the retina’s walls which leave them susceptible to leaking. When fluid accumulates in the retina or macula, it causes vision loss.

To make these matters worse, if prolonged high blood sugar levels are seen again, the retina will be oxygen-depleted. This causes the abnormal growth of new blood vessels. This condition is called neovascularization. This blood vessel type is weak and prone to leaking. As these blood vessels leak, they introduce blood into the eye. Excessive bleeding into the eye can cause blindness.

Treatment

While a healthy diet and exercise can be beneficial to your optical health, diabetic retinopathy is a condition that is caused by damage to the retinal wall. While this damage can sometimes be corrected, simple diet changes won’t reverse the effects.

It is essential to catch the condition in the earlier stages to reduce the effects. This can also help patients understand the importance of monitoring their blood sugar so that repeat events can be limited. Treatment options are even more successful when diabetic retinopathy is caught early. These options include vitrectomy, scatter photocoagulation and focal photocoagulation.

During both scatter, and focal photocoagulation the doctor will use lasers to help alleviate the condition. The lasers make small burns on the retina aimed at the blood vessels. These burns will help to seal the blood vessels to prevent more leakage and stop them from growing larger.

When using scatter photocoagulation, hundreds of small burns are made in a specific pattern during two additional appointments. Scatter coagulation should be used on patients who do not have advanced diabetic retinopathy.

Focal photocoagulation specifically targets the leaking blood vessels that are in the macula. Unfortunately, this procedure is not aimed to correct the blurry vision associated with diabetic retinopathy, but it does stop it from progressing further. Once the retina has detached, neither form of photocoagulation can be used.

Vitrectomy is a surgery that helps to remove scar tissue and/or the fluid that is clouded with blood that has been leaked into the eye. This operation is the most successful when performed before the disease has progressed too far. When the operation only targets removing the fluid, success rates are very high for the procedure. When the procedure also aims to reattach the retina, the failure rate is around 50%.
 

Can Diet Reverse Diabetic Retinopathy

Living with Retinopathy

 

Retinopathy affects every person and even the same pair of eyes differently. A one size fits all approach isn’t possible, and it is important to talk to your medical professional about which options or treatment plans are right for you.

It’s important to continue to learn about how you can manage diabetes to help keep the progression of diabetic retinopathy at bay. Make sure to use the tools that are available to you. Test your blood glucose daily, schedule your regular doctor appointments and annual exams, and learn to listen to your body. We can often start to detect that something is going on when things just don’t feel right.

Managing your diabetes with a complete health plan can lead to an increase in the quality of life and help to stop further vision loss.

Quick Links
  • About Us
  • Our Services
  • Meet The Doctor
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
Helpful Articles
vision therapy
services
contact lenses
eyeglasses
eye health
surgical procedures
products
eye surgery co-management
ocular disease management
technology
  • Comprehensive Eye Exam
  • Diabetic Related Eye Exams
  • Understanding Computer Vision Syndrome
  • Best Foods for Eye Health
  • Vision Therapy
  • Latisse Eyedrops
  • How Exercise Benefits the Eye
  • Keratoconus and Your Treatment Options
  • Overview of Common Ocular Diseases
  • Sports Vision
  • Considering Your Face Shape When Choosing Eye Glass Frames
  • EyePromise
  • Pediatric Eye Exams
  • Amblyopia
  • Contact Lens Exam
  • MacuHealth
  • Importance of Routine Eye Exams
  • How Your Eyes Change with Age
  • Scleral Lenses
  • Ortho K
  • OCuSOFT
  • Myopia Management
  • MiSight
  • Eye Safety Tips
  • iLux
  • Seasonal Allergies And The Eyes
  • Dry Eye Treatment
  • Common Eye Disorders Explained
  • Glaucoma Testing
  • Cataracts
  • Eye Emergencies
  • Benefits of LASIK
  • Implantable Contact Lenses
  • Low Vision
  • Demodex
  • Pink Eye
  • Macular Degeneration
  • What to Expect During an Eye Exam
  • Refraction Test
  • Limbal Relaxing Incisions
  • iDesign Custom Lasik
  • Am I a candidate for LASIK?
  • LASIK Co-Management
  • LASIK Procedure
  • Cosmetic Services
  • Vision Therapy: Conditions
  • CLE
  • Blephex
  • Dry Eye Advanced Diagnostic Testing
  • Corneal Refractive Therapy
  • Lens Technology
  • Lumenis Optilight IPL
  • Ocular Aesthetics
  • Presbyopia
  • Optos
  • Surgical Co-Management
  • Strabismus
  • Visual Field
  • TearCare: Understanding Dry Eye and Its Causes
  • Astigmatism
  • Avulux
  • Atropine Drops
  • Multifocal Contact Lenses
  • MiBo Thermoflo
  • Optical Coherence Tomography
  • Optikam
  • Senior Care
  • Types of Daily Contact Lenses
  • Low Level Light Treatment
  • Lipiflow
  • TempSure Envi
  • Tonometer
  • Urgent Eye Care
  • EnChroma Lens Technology
  • Medical Eye Exam
  • Retinal Imaging Testing
  • Specialty Contact Lenses
  • Tyrvaya for Dry Eye Relief
  • Optomap
  • Cataract Surgery Co-Management
  • Colored Contacts
  • Eyelid Hygiene
  • Hybrid Contacts
  • Neurolens
  • Post-Surgical Contact Lenses
  • Post-Concussion Syndrome
  • Glaucoma Treatment
  • Understanding PRK
  • Which Patients are Good Candidates for Premium IOL
  • Can Diet Reverse Diabetic Retinopathy
  • Eye Disease Treatment
  • Why Should You Consider Eyelid Rejuvenation
  • LASIK Surgery
  • Overview of Visian ICL
  • All Eye
    Care Services

    Learn More

    Keep
    In Touch

    Contact Us

    Highland, MI

    White Lake, MI

    Highland, MI

    2942 E Highland Road
    Highland, MI 48356
    (248) 887-4175
    (248) 889-2298
    Monday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
    Tuesday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
    Wednesday: Closed
    Thursday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
    Friday: 10:00am - 2:00pm
    Saturday: Closed
    Sunday: Closed

    White Lake, MI

    9135 Highland Rd Ste 7
    White Lake, 48386
    (248) 666-9700
    (248) 666-0378
    Monday: By appointment only
    Tuesday: By appointment only
    Wednesday: Closed
    Thursday: By appointment only
    Friday: By appointment only
    Saturday: Closed
    Sunday: Closed
    © 2025 Eyecare Connection. ​All Rights Reserved. Accessibility Statement - Privacy Policy - Sitemap
    Powered by:
    Roya

    Appointment Request

    At Eyecare Connection, we provide the highest quality eye care to all our patients. Schedule your appointment today.

    Thank you. We will connect with you shortly.
    You are missing required fields.
    Dynamic Error Description
    There was an error processing this form.

    Thank You!

    We've copied your review, after you click 'Publish' please paste your review by selecting 'ctrl' + 'v' into the review comments section.

    Publish to Social

    Login


    Forgot Password?

    OR

    Sign in with Facebook Sign in with Google


    Looking to create an account ?
    Already have an account? Login

    Save Search


    Saved Searches

    Modal title

    One fine body…

    Update Profile