How Diabetes Can Affect Your Vision

Diabetes has been linked to several serious vision problems, including blindness. That’s why people with diabetes are encouraged to schedule regular eye exams with their ophthalmologist. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that affects upwards of 29millon people in the US. Since the condition is so widespread, it’s important to understand how diabetes can affect your vision.

About Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition in which the body is either unable to produce insulin, or cannot utilize it efficiently.  Insulin is a substance (hormone) made by the pancreas that helps to regulate blood glucose (sugar) levels, ensuring that levels remain normal. If there is a spike in blood sugar levels, then this can cause swelling in the lens of the eye, and lead to vision problems.

Vision problems associated with diabetes include:

• Glaucoma occurs when there is a build-up of pressure in the eye. This prevents the fluid inside the eye from draining as it should. The intense pressure results in damage to the nerves and vessels in the eye, resulting in vision loss. Other symptoms include blurry vision, headaches, and eye pain.

• Cataracts are also more common among diabetics. Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye, which is normally clear, clouds over. This leads to distorted or blurry vision.

• Diabetic retinopathy refers to several disorders that affect the retina due to the presence of diabetes. The condition occurs because of damage to the blood vessels behind the retina. In the early stages the condition is known as non-proliferative retinopathy, but it can progress to the more severe proliferative retinopathy. There are no symptoms early in the course of the disease so eye exams for diabetics are very important.

If you would like to learn more about how diabetes can affect your vision, and the available treatment options, contact the Center for Ophthalmology and Surgery Center, located in Lighthouse Point, FL.