Diabetes has an impact on vision, and people with diabetes should see their eye doctor regularly. High blood sugar can lead to problems such as blurred vision, cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy.
In fact, diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness in adults between the ages of 20 and 74.
Blurred vision
Don’t rush out to buy new glasses when you notice objects look blurry. This may be just a minor problem caused by high blood sugar, where the lens of the eye becomes swollen and thus vision changes occur. To alleviate this condition, you need to lower your blood sugar to within the target range (3.9-7.2 mmol/L before meals and below 10.0 mmol/L 1-2 hours after meals). It will take as long as 3 months for the vision to return to full normal. The ophthalmologist needs to be informed of the situation. The doctor will determine if this symptom is a more serious problem.
Cataracts
The lens acts like a camera, enabling the eye to see images and to focus. Cataracts can cause a patient’s otherwise clear lens to become cloudy from debris. Anyone can develop cataracts, but people with diabetes tend to develop them earlier and have them worsen more quickly.
When the lens is partially clouded, the eye cannot focus properly and cannot see clearly, and symptoms such as blurred vision and glare can occur.
Surgery is needed to remove the cataract. The surgeon will replace the cloudy lens with an artificial lens.
Open-angle glaucoma
When the fluid does not drain properly, the pressure inside the eye increases. This can cause damage to the nerves and blood vessels and lead to changes in vision.
Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma and can be treated with medications. Medications lower eye pressure, speed up fluid drainage, and reduce the amount of fluid produced by the eye (doctors call this fluid atrial fluid).
Open-angle glaucoma does not cause any symptoms until the disease progresses further and there is significant vision loss.
Rare types of glaucoma
When a relatively rare type of glaucoma develops, it can present:
- Headache;
- eye pain;
- blurred vision;
- hydrated eyes;
- Haloes around lights;
- Loss of vision.
Medication and special eye drops may be used for treatment. Surgery and laser treatment may help to drain the atrial fluid.
Neovascular glaucoma
In addition, people with diabetes are more likely to develop a rare condition called neovascular glaucoma. This disease causes new blood vessels to grow in the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. The new blood vessels prevent the normal flow of fluid and raise eye pressure.
The disease is difficult to treat. Doctors will try laser surgery to eliminate the blood vessels, or use an implant to help the fluid drain.
Diabetic retinopathy
The retina is a layer of cells at the back of the eye that absorbs light. The retina converts light into images that are sent to the brain by the optic nerve.
Damage to the small blood vessels in the retina can lead to diabetic retinopathy, which is associated with elevated blood glucose levels. If not caught early and treated, there is a risk of blindness. The longer you have had diabetes, the more likely you are to develop this lesion. If blood glucose is controlled, the risk of lesions can be reduced.
Type 1 diabetes
People with type 1 diabetes rarely develop it before puberty. It is also rare in adults, except in those who have had type 1 diabetes for more than 5 years.
The risk of developing the disease is dramatically reduced by strict control of blood glucose with an insulin pump or multiple daily injections of insulin.
Type 2 diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes may already be showing signs of eye disease at the time of diagnosis.
Glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol control are needed to prevent or delay the development of this disease.
Smokers should stop smoking, which is good for the eyes and overall health.
Background retinopathy
Patients have damaged blood vessels, but their vision is maintained. However, if the diabetes is not well controlled, the condition can worsen.
Macular degeneration
Patients with this disease have damage to the macula, which is an important area of the retina. This can have a significant impact on vision.
Proliferative retinopathy
This lesion occurs when the cells in the back of the eye do not get enough oxygen and new blood vessels begin to grow. These new blood vessels are fragile and can bleed and cause clots to form, leading to scarring and pulling the retina away from the back of the eye. If the retina detaches, irreparable vision loss can occur. Sometimes such conditions can be treated. Surgery is one treatment option, in which neovascularization is removed by laser cautery, and this method can prevent blindness in up to half of patients with early retinopathy.
The need for eye exams
A thorough examination of the eyes once a year can help identify problems early, and early problems are often easier to treat.
Women who are planning to become pregnant in the near future should receive an eye exam to avoid possible problems and should continue to receive eye exams after pregnancy.
Time to visit
The following symptoms are signs of an emergency:
- Dark spots in the visual field;
- Flash sensation;
- A “black hole” in the visual field;
- Blurred vision.
You need to go to the hospital in time to avoid delaying the best treatment.