How Can Diabetes Affect the Eyes?

Diabetes is a condition that can cause damage to the eyes over time, leading to vision loss and blindness. Diabetes occurs when the body fails to process food properly as energy. People with long-term diabetes have a high risk of developing eye diseases or conditions. Managing diabetes and getting regular eye exams can help protect vision and eye health.

 

How Diabetes Affects the Eyes

Sometimes, the body fails to produce insulin or does not respond to the insulin produced. Insulin is the hormone that delivers blood sugar or glucose to the body cells. Too much blood sugar in the bloodstream can damage the blood vessels that run throughout the body, including the eyes. The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to develop eye issues.

Diabetes and Eye Diseases

Having diabetes can predispose an individual to develop eye diseases. Some diseases that affect people with diabetes include:

 

• Diabetic retinopathy. It occurs when retina blood vessels leak or new abnormal blood vessels grow on the retina surface

• Glaucoma. High sugar levels damage the blood vessels, resulting in the growth of new abnormal ones on the iris. It can result in increased eye pressure that causes glaucoma

• Macular edema. It occurs when the macula swells due to leaky blood vessels, causing distorted or blurred vision

• Cataracts. A cloudy buildup on the eye lens can affect an individual’s vision. People with diabetes often develop cataracts due to increased sugar in the blood

Diabetes and Blurry Vision

Diabetes can lead to swelling of the eye lens, resulting in blurry vision. When blood sugar levels change drastically, it affects the shape of the eye lens. It causes vision to become distorted or blurred.

Vision usually returns to normal when the blood sugar stabilizes. If you are planning to get eyeglasses, wait until your blood sugar is under control before going through the eye exam. It will help ensure that you get an accurate prescription.

Preventing Diabetic Eye Disease

If you have diabetes, the best way to prevent eye diseases is by managing your blood sugar levels. Talk to your doctor about ways to protect your health as you manage the condition. Ways to prevent eye diseases due to diabetes include:

 

• Controlling your blood sugar

• Lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure

• Protect your eyes from harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses

• Embrace exercise or physical activity

• Avoid smoking
  
   

Regular Diabetic Eye Exams

If you have diabetes, it is vital to get regular eye exams. Exams allow the eye specialist to evaluate your eye health and detect changes in your vision. During the exam, the doctor will use eye drops to dilate the pupils, making it easy to observe the retina.

Annual dilated eye exams are essential for people with diabetes. The eye specialist may also decide to take images of the back of the eyes using a special camera. Digital imaging can allow the doctor to determine whether you have diabetic retinopathy.

If you have diabetes, some symptoms indicate that you need urgent eye care. They include flashes of light, blurred vision, black spots or shapes in the vision, and holes in the vision. Contact your eye doctor immediately if you notice changes in your vision.

For more on how diabetes can affect the eyes, contact Diamond Bar Optometric at our Diamond Bar, California office. Call (909) 861-4999 to schedule an appointment today.