Preserve Your Vision With Macali Eye Clinic

Diabetic Retinopathy in Winter Garden

Preserve Your Vision With Macali Eye Clinic

Schedule Eye Exam

Have diabetes?

Experiencing changes in vision, such as blurriness and eye floaters?

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of vision loss around the world. Of an estimated 285 million people with diabetes mellitus worldwide, approximately one-third have signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Fortunately, there are several steps people with diabetes can take to prevent or minimize vision loss.

Blood sugar level check


Give Your Eyes the Care They Deserve

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

noraml eye and an eye with diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by high blood sugar levels that damage the small blood vessels clustered within your retina. This leads to swelling or fluid leakage and can result in vision loss and even blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy also raises the risk of retinal detachment and/or glaucoma.

Because the early stages of diabetic retinopathy show no symptoms, many don't realize they have it until the disease has progressed.

If you have diabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. To reduce your risk and protect your vision, schedule an eye exam with Macali Eye Clinic today.


What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?

diabetic-retinopothy-oct-scan

As mentioned above, the early phase of diabetic retinopathy typically shows no symptoms. This is why it's important to have routine eye exams (all the more so if you have diabetes), as your eye doctor can detect diabetic retinopathy in its earlier stages before symptoms become apparent.

Symptoms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy include:
  • Blurred vision
  • Floaters
  • Double vision
  • Near vision problems
  • Seeing dark spots (scotomas)
  • Difficulty seeing at night

What are the Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Non-Proliferative Retinopathy (early stage):
This occurs when small bulges–or microaneurysms–form in blood vessels and can leak fluid into the retina.

Proliferative Retinopathy (later phase):
This refers to abnormal vessel growth and leakage in the retina. This triggers a variety of vision problems such as blurriness, reduced field of vision, and even blindness.

If you have diabetes, Macali Eye Clinic in Winter Garden offers diagnostic tests and treatment options to help preserve your vision. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the treatment outcome.

Diabetic-Retinopathy-Bllod-sugar-level-checker


How Optometrists Diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy

  • Medical history

    Your optometrist will ask about your medical history, including diabetes, as well as your family history of eye conditions.

  • Dilated pupil exam

    Your optometrist will apply eye drops to dilate the pupils so they can see inside the eye and detect any issues.

  • Fluorescein angiography

    This eye test uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid.

  • Optical coherence tomography

    This imaging method shows a cross-section of the retina and can indicate whether vessels are leaking fluid into the retina.


Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis & Treatment in Winter Garden

Our optometry practice in Winter Garden

Photograph of Neil Macali
Hours
  • Monday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 6:30 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 6:30 pm
  • Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday 7:30 am - 12:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans

How to Treat Diabetic Retinopathy

senior man with diabetic retinopathy

Treatment begins with managing blood sugar levels and diabetes. This means eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and taking whatever diabetes medication has been prescribed.

Other treatments will depend on the stage or severity of the disease. If caught early, only blood sugar management may be necessary.

However, if you're in a more advanced stage of the diseases, treatment options may include:
  • Eye medications. Steroid and Anti-VEGF treatments can stop inflammation and prevent the formation of new blood vessels.
  • Laser surgery. Reduces the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels and swelling in the retina.
  • Vitrectomy. If you have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, you may need an eye surgery called vitrectomy. This procedure removes scar tissue, blood or fluid, and some of the vitreous gel so light rays can better focus on the retina.
Patient Reviews
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194 Reviews
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- May. 04, 2023
Great location, place opens at 830am not 9am
- Mar. 31, 2023
I recommend the Macali Eye office; all staff was very kind and attentive. Excellent Service!
- Jan. 04, 2023
Robert rocks!!!! He totally fixed my glasses!!!!!!!
- Oct. 28, 2022
Friendly staff, extensive eye exam with options to do extra screening if you would like to pay and t... he building is always clean and neat.
- Aug. 30, 2022
This place is amazing. The staff is wonderful, if you’re looking for great place for your Eyecare ... needs, you have to check out Macali Eye Clinic.
- Aug. 29, 2022
The staff are very friendly and helpful. I really appreciate how the doctor explained things to me a... nd helped me understand some important facts about my eyes. Great experience and highly recommend.
- Aug. 19, 2022
My glasses had become loose and I couldn't read anything. They adjusted them for me with a smile an... d a thank you. Bless you all. I needed my eyes this weekend to work in a hospital in Jax. Thanks again
- Jul. 27, 2022
My partner and I have been clients of Macali Eye Clinic for over 15 years. From scheduling, to exam... s, to eyeglass selections and fitting, everyone there is professional, competent, and genuinely accommodating. And, Dr. Macali has always been thorough with his exam assessments, along with a positive and comfortable bedside manner. Although we don’t have eye insurance, I highly recommend the full exam, because it’s more thorough and a good value, knowing that the annual exam results are also updated in our patient records. As a professional interior designer, I find the physical environment at this facility not only beautiful and carefully thought through, but also stress-free, calming and pleasant. For any type of small business to excel in all of these areas, seems rare these days. Thank you EVERYONE for making our eye exam experience worthwhile and positive… every time!
- May. 11, 2022
(Translated by Google) The attention of the boy who speaks Spanish was excellent, and the Noble Doct... or was very sweet, I'm glad there are people who speak Spanish, so we feel calmer and can communicate when we take the exams 🙂 (Original) La atencion del muchacho que habla español , fue excelente, y la Doctora Noble muy dulce , me alegro que hayan personas que hablen español , asi nos sentimos mas tranquilos y podemos comunicarnos cuando nos hacemos los examenes 🙂
- Apr. 20, 2022
I am very satisfied with the exams and the variety of glasses offered at Otica Macali, but I would l... ike to highlight the excellent service provided by Carlos, for the second year in a row he serves my husband and I with excellence, always kind, with accurate information and agility , a complete and differentiated professional. Thank you Carlos, I wish you much success!!
- Apr. 14, 2022
I have gone to Dr. Macali for about 20 years. Great eye doctor. This clinic gets very busy so bo... ok early. The entire staff is polite, friendly and do their best to get you taken care of in a timely manner.
- Mar. 28, 2022
I switched to Macali Eye Clinic because I wanted a reputable doctor near my new home in Winter Garde... n. The staff at Macali Eye Clinic did not disappoint! They were kind, prompt, professional, and caring. I am so happy to have found a great group of people close to home! I will continue coming to Macali Eye Clinic for years to come.
- Feb. 22, 2022
Top notch eye care! The staff are very professional, and thorough. They have a full suite of equip... ment and conduct a comprehensive eye exam, and prescription determination. They are a bit more expensive than discount optometrists, but you get what you pay for.
- Feb. 17, 2022
Great Clinic! The staff is amazing super friendly and personable. The doctor was great at explaining... everything.
- Feb. 17, 2022
I’ve been going to Macali Eye Clinic for a few years for my annual eye exams and contact fittings.... All the employees are attentive and welcoming! The office is always clean and there is a great selection of glasses and contacts brands.
- Jan. 22, 2022
Very friendly and awesome Dr. thanks for a terrific experience
- Dec. 08, 2021
Best eye clinic in Orlando! Friendly staff and great selection of eyewear. My wife and I have been s... hopping around for a new eye clinic for two years and Macali is by far the best we’ve come across. 10/10 recommend.
- Dec. 04, 2021
I've seen Dr. Cathy Borgeson Pickering for the past three times I've been there. She's very professi... onal, knowlegable and personable, while explaining my test results in words I can understand. I've kept my frames while getting new lenses, which I thought they might try to talk me out of, but no hard sell .
- Nov. 25, 2021
The customer service is ALWAYS A 1! Friendly staff and knowledgeable. I love my appointments 🙌�... ��🙌🏾
- Nov. 24, 2021
Travel nurse here 😊 1. Accept my insurance 2. Very friendly 3. Quick but thorough 4. Very helpful... and accommodating They have a good selection of glasses to choose from. Contacts on hand. Definitely recommend!

View All 194 Reviews

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQs

What are the major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy?

As the name suggests, diabetes is the main risk factor for developing diabetic retinopathy. Be mindful of your family history of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, get an annual [eye _exam] to detect potential problems early.

Other conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Moreover, those of African or Hispanic descent have a higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

There are a number of ways to preserve your vision and reduce the risk of vision and eye damage due to diabetic retinopathy.

  • Visit your eye doctor for annual eye exams.
  • Control your blood sugar levels.
  • Maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Quit smoking.

The best thing you can do right now is to schedule your eye exam with Macali Eye Clinic in Winter Garden to ensure that everything is in check.

Does diabetic retinopathy cause blindness?

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness among work-aged adults. It affects one in three people with diabetes and often goes unnoticed at first. Diagnosing and treating the condition early on can prevent severe vision loss.


blood sugaer level testing kit

Have diabetes?

Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

Schedule Eye Exam