If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes you may know that having regular diabetic eye exams is critical to preventing irreversible vision loss. What you may not know is that not every diabetic eye exam is the same, we are proud to have the advanced ERG to detect and monitor diabetes earlier then the equipment that most eye doctors have at their clinic.

According to the National Eye Institute, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in the United States, affecting around 7.7 million Americans.

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that can occur in people with diabetes. Diabetes causes this eye disease to affect the back part of your eye. It can cause bleeding, swelling, and unfortunately, is the leading cause of blindness among adult patients worldwide. The RETeval ERG is used to diagnose and manage diabetic retinopathy.

What is RETeval ERG?

RETeval ERG is a handheld device that evaluates the function of the retina. The retina, located at the back of the eye, converts light into electrical signals that the brain can interpret and respond to. RETeval ERG measures both the speed and the strength of the electrical response generated by the retina when stimulated with a series of flashes of light.

For diabetic patients the ERG is able to show the optometrist when there are signs of cellular damage before permanent cellular death occurs, which is critical for properly managing your diabetes and preventing damage to your vision.

How does the ERG show the eye doctor more information about diabetic retinopathy? 

A report is printed by the ERG, which compares the patient's results to a standard population of their age. The report provides a diabetic retinopathy score. If the score is above 23.5, it indicates that the patient may be at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. The RETeval ERG can detect changes to the retina before they can be seen with the naked eye or other standard imaging tests, allowing for early detection and intervention.

Early detection and prognosis

Early detection of diabetic retinopathy is crucial for the best possible outcome. By detecting the disease early, we can intervene sooner and have a better chance of preventing or slowing its progression. ERG measures the electrical activity of the retina, the light-sensitive layer of cells at the back of the eye. With this information, we can predict which patients will need intervention and which will not. Regular eye exams with our eye doctor are essential for early detection and proper management of diabetic retinopathy.