Diabetes Eye Health Glossary

Understanding the terminology of eye health is the first step in preventing and managing diabetes-related eye problems.

By Madeline Vann, MPH

Medically reviewed by Farrokh Sohrabi, MD andMatthew Dombrow, MD

As many as one in five adults with diabetes have early signs of diabetes-related eye problems, such asdiabetic retinopathy, which can cause blindness, according to a study published in the November 2014 issue of JAMA Ophthalmology. The researchers say these results demonstrate the need for screening and intervention to protect vision. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes see an eye doctorfor an examination each year.

“The only way to check for diabetes effects on the eye is a dilated eye exam,” says Kundandeep Nagi, MD, an ophthalmologist and assistant program director of ophthalmology at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. “Diabetes is a microvascular disease that affects the small blood vessels, including those in the eye.”

It's also important for people with diabetes to understand how eye health and the condition intersect, including the terminology used to explain diabetes-related eye problems. Here are key terms you need to know:

Eye Doctors

• Ophthalmologist. This eye professional has earned a medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO) degree. Ophthalmologists can perform eye exams, prescribe corrective lenses and medications, diagnose eye conditions, and perform surgery.
• Optician. This is a technical specialist who can help adjust lenses and eye glasses prescribed for vision correction.
• Optometrist. This is an eye specialist who has earned a doctor of optometry (OD) degree. Optometrists can examine eyes, provide vision correction recommendations, and prescribe medication to treat eye disorders.

Anatomy of the Eye

• Eye lens. The lens of the eye is the clear tissue through which images are focused onto your retina.
• Macula. This is the center of the retina, responsible for your detailed central vision — the focused vision needed for reading or threading a needle, for instance.