How Diabetes Affect Your Eyes

Although diabetes affects the eyes in various ways, the main vision problem is the one it does on the retina (diabetic retinopathy). Diabetes affects the eye in the following ways.

Diabetic Retinopathy; Retinopathy simply means damage to the retina and diabetic retinopathy occurs when this retinal damage is caused by diabetes.  Diabetic retinopathy is the leading new cases of blindness in adults between 20-74 years of age. There are blood vessels in the retinal area and in diabetic retinopathy, these blood vessels contains small balloon-like swellings (that contains blood) on their surface (microanurysm). These balloon-like swellings may burst and leak blood into the retina.

In advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy, the retinal blood vessels are blocked leading to obstruction of blood supply that nourishes the retina. The retina sends signals to the body which triggers the production of new blood vessels (neo-vascularization). These new blood vessels are weak and usually rupture thereby causing hemorrhages which severely affects the patient’s vision up to the extent of vision loss especially when blood reaches the macular-the small sensitive area in the center of the retina that provides detailed vision.

Untreated diabetic retinopathy causes irreversible damage to the retina and eventually leads to blindness.

Change of Eye Refractive Status; The refractive status of the eye simply means the state of the eye as regards to whether it is long-sightedness (hyperopia) or short-sightedness (myopia). Elevated blood sugar level as seen in diabetes causes the crystalline lens (the transparent and biconvex structure in the eyes) to swell thereby increasing its curvature and power. For normal vision, light that enters the eyes from viewing objects are focused on the retina but when the lens curvature increases (as in high blood sugar level), the power of the lens is increased which now bends the light to focus before the retina and hence leads temporary myopia (short-sightedness). This condition becomes resolves when the blood sugar level is brought back to its normal level (usually after three months).

Any diabetic patient that has blurred vision should not go for glasses as their blurred vision may be caused by the temporary increase in lens curvature and power due to elevated blood sugar level. However glasses can only be prescribed for these patients only if their blood sugar level is at its target range (90-130mm/dl before meal and less than 180mm/dl one to two hours after meal).

The three major eye problems that diabetic patients are at high risk of developing and of which they should be aware of are cataract, glaucoma and retinopathy. Among them, diabetic retinopathy is the most condition to occur and if not properly managed may lead to severe vision loss.

Diabetic patients should try as much as possible to control their blood sugar level and should desist from starchy foods. In addition, thorough eye examination by an eye doctor will help review the eye manifestations of diabetes and early medical intervention will prevent further damage.

Diabetic patients are advised to always maintain their blood sugar level at the target range and should go for thorough eye examination by an optometrist.