For patients who have diabetes, diabetic eye exams are important part of maintaining eye health and vision. Patients with diabetes must be consistent and attentive to their eye care all throughout life as Diabetic Retinopathy is a progressive eye disease. In order to maintain good vision and have the best chances of preventing the sight threatening complications of Diabetic Retinopathy, it is important for all diabetic patients to have a comprehensive eye examination at least once a year. This is the basic requirement to help detect blood vessel leakage and the presence of Diabetic Retinopathy in its earliest stages. Based on your eye examination, Dr. Whitaker may recommend more frequent reexamination intervals. While “screening photographs”, even through a dilated pupil may be of some use, they are not a substitute for a comprehensive diabetic eye examination. Patients with diabetes may also be more prone to other significant eye problems such as glaucoma and cataracts, (http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp)

making a comprehensive eye examination a necessity. Depending on the severity and progression of your Diabetic Retinopathy, it might be necessary to have an Intravenous Fluorescein Angiogram (IVF) and or Optical Coherence Tomography on a regular basis in order to observe and record any changes to the retinal circulation. In general, most insurance carriers endorse and pay for regular annual diabetic eye exams with Intravenous Fluorescein Angiography (IVF) and Optical Coherence Tomography as often as needed in order to help patients preserve their vision.