Protect Your Vision From Diabetic Complications
Just over 1 in 10 Americans is living with diabetes—that’s more than 34 million people. Diabetes can impact your overall health, and your vision along with it.
Many people are aware of the ways that diabetes impacts overall health but don’t always consider its ocular impacts. Truth be told, diabetes is a leading cause of blindness in adults.
People with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing vision problems. We recommend that those with diabetes have annual, comprehensive eye exams. Taking a proactive approach to health is important, especially if you’re dealing with diabetes.
Book your diabetic eye appointment today, and let us help you preserve your sight!
Book AppointmentWhat Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that impacts the production of insulin, a hormone that regulates your body’s blood sugar levels.
When you eat, most of your food is broken down into glucose (sugar) and travels through the bloodstream. An increase in the amount of sugar in the bloodstream signals the pancreas to release insulin, which in turn lets the sugar into your cells.
If you have diabetes, your body either does not make insulin or doesn’t use it properly. This means too much sugar will stay in your bloodstream.
Over time, elevated blood sugar levels can lead to a variety of health issues, including vision problems. Even if you don’t notice any change in your vision, it’s still important to have your eyes examined regularly. Book your appointment today.
How Does Diabetes Affect Vision?
Diabetes can lead to serious vision problems and even blindness, so it’s important to book an annual eye exam to check for any changes. Visual issues caused by diabetes may include blurry vision, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic macular edema.
Blurry Vision
Your body adjusting to diabetes medication or changes in your health routine can lead to blurry vision.
Elevated blood sugar can lead to a buildup of fluid in the eyes. Normally, the extra fluid is temporary and your eyes will return to normal as your blood sugar stabilizes. But, you should still visit your optometrist to rule out more serious issues.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy often progresses slowly and may not present visible symptoms until irreversible vision loss occurs. The blood vessels in your retina swell as blood sugar levels elevate.
In the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, blurry vision is a common symptom. As the condition progresses, it gets more serious. Blood vessels break and bleed, leaking into the macula and causing vision loss.
Diabetic Macular Edema
Diabetic macular edema occurs when the macula swells. The macula is responsible for your central vision so impairment can impact the ability to read, write, drive, and recognize faces. This condition is quite serious and can lead to blindness.
Book Your Diabetic Eye Exam Today!
If you have diabetes, it is imperative that you get your eyes examined regularly. Close examination of the retina can help to detect any early signs of serious vision problems.
Book Appointment
Why Monarch Bay Optometry?

A Personalized Experience
We prioritize your well-being with extended appointments. Our goal is to provide a thorough and unrushed examination.

Fashion &
Function
Welcome to an elegant eye care & eyewear experience. We proudly showcase local art alongside our frames in our optical boutique.

Dedicated
Care
Our experienced doctors provide comprehensive eye care for your whole family. Our dedicated team goes above and beyond.
We Can’t Wait to See You
Where to park?
We are located in Monarch Bay Plaza, which has plenty of parking. We look forward to welcoming you!
Our Address
- 32932 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 13
- Dana Point, CA 92629
Contact Information
- Phone: 949-487-3937
- Fax: 949-487-3913
- Email: [email protected]
Our Hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed

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Our Google Reviews
“I just had my first visit here with Doctor Kobayashi. I am happy to say that the great reviews are deserved. I have found my new eye doctor. She was thorough in testing and evaluating, straightforward, and very personable. I look forward to trusting her with my vision.”
Frank P.
“Both my husband and I received great service from Dr. Lin and Dr. Kris. Professional advice, patience with our questions and very friendly.”
Dianne A.
“Today I had Dr. Kris Kobayashi for the first time and I was very impressed! Knowledgeable of course but also answered questions I didn’t know I had. Personable and funny too. I came away thinking about optometry school. At my age!! Ten thumbs up!”
Kendall C.
“Both doctors are extremely kind, knowledgeable, and attentive. I always feel very welcomed and well taken care of, highly recommend it to anyone. The office is very comfortable and has very warm and friendly office staff. Very grateful for Monarch Bay Optometry!”
Nancy M.
“By far, the most painful injury I have ever received was at the hands of my two-year-old daughter. While picking her up from preschool the tiny little nail on her tiny little index finger poked me directly in the eye while running to hug me. At the time it hurt, but it wasn’t much more painful than what you would normally expect from getting poked in the eye. What I didn’t understand at the time was that she had given me a corneal abrasion and things were about to get worse, a lot worse. That night, I tossed and turned as my eye continued to get worse. Every blink I took further tore at my cornea and aggravated this abrasion.
I woke in the morning and literally could not open either eye from the pain I was in. It was so painful that I was crawling around the house on all four fumbling for things with my hands. I thought I would have to go to the hospital’s emergency room. Luckily for me, my wife was a long-time client of Kris’. She phoned Kris and explained the situation. Despite not being at work, Kris didn’t hesitate to volunteer to see me and even arranged to see me at a friend’s optometry office next to my house knowing it would be difficult for me to travel to the Marina Del Rey or Dana Point offices in my current condition.
The immediate relief as Kris applied medical contact to my eye after assessing the damage was overwhelming. I would have cried except that my eyes were already streaming from the injury. Kris gave me an entire plethora of care, advice, and information to go along with the contact and medication. She informed me that toddlers commonly cause their parent’s eye abrasions. The hospital, where I think most regular people on their day off would have sent me, would have simply put some lubricant on my eye, given me an eyepatch, and prescribed antibiotics. Instead of spending a week in pain with half my vision, I was given immediate relief and the full use of both eyes.
You might think this level of care cost me an arm and a leg but no, Kris charged me for a regular eye exam visit and the normal cost for the contact while prescribing me a prescription with a follow-up visit later that week. All of which was mostly covered by my vision insurance anyways.
Truly, I will always be grateful for this response and while I hopefully won’t be seeing Kris again for an eye abrasion I can’t recommend her and her business enough to both my family and friends for her professionalism, courtesy, and obvious care for her clients well being.”