Recognizing diabetes-related eye disease

   With the improvement of people’s living standards, the incidence of diabetes in China is increasing year by year. Diabetic vasculopathy is one of the common diabetic complications, which causes multi-organ damage such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, but also causes many eye diseases.  1, diabetic retinopathy: is the most serious diabetic eye complications, often occurring in patients with diabetes for a longer period of time, there are also some patients are first eyes can not see clearly, to the hospital examination found that the fundus of the eye appeared typical diabetic retinopathy changes, only to know that they have diabetes. Diabetic patients often present to the hospital with sensations such as self-conscious flashes of light and loss of vision. Diabetic retinopathy manifests as microaneurysms, hemorrhages, exudates, macular edema, vitreous hemorrhages, and retinal detachment in the retina, which can cause severe vision loss or even blindness. Once the diagnosis of diabetes is confirmed it is necessary to go to the hospital for eye examination, fundus fluoroscopy angiography and OCT examination if necessary. Treatment methods include: laser, vitreous cavity injection, vitreous excision surgery, etc. If the treatment is timely, good vision can be maintained.  2. Diabetic cataract: The main reason is that blood sugar rises and the sugar in the atrial fluid also rises, which makes the osmotic pressure of the crystal change, causing swelling, fracture and disintegration of the crystal fiber, and eventually the lens turns from transparent to cloudy. The treatment methods are cataract extraction (cataract ultrasound emulsification) and IOL implantation surgery.  Refractive abnormalities: Myopic refractive error can occur when blood sugar is high, and farsighted refractive error can occur when blood sugar is lowered, and it is often accompanied by astigmatism. When blurred vision occurs, it is necessary to go to the hospital for examination, in addition to fundus examination, and optometry. Therefore, it is important to control blood sugar.  4, neovascular glaucoma: Patients can show eye distension, eye pain, photophobia, may be accompanied by ipsilateral headache, or nausea, vomiting. The examination reveals elevated intraocular pressure and neovascularization on the iris surface, which mostly occurs in the late stage of diabetic retinopathy that has not been effectively controlled, and this lesion is poorly treated. Treatment: retinal laser treatment of diabetic retinopathy is the fundamental treatment; anti-glaucoma drugs are taken orally, dotted eyes, or anti-glaucoma surgery is performed to lower the intraocular pressure.  5. Ocular neuropathy: It affects the function of the motoneurysm and abducens nerve, which can lead to ptosis, blurred vision, diplopia, double vision, headache, dizziness, extraocular muscle paralysis, eye strabismus, etc. The prognosis is generally good. When the blood supply of the optic nerve is damaged, neuroinflammatory reactions may occur, which may result in varying degrees of visual acuity loss or even complete blindness. It manifests as optic papilloedema, ischemic optic neuropathy, and optic nerve atrophy. When suffering from diabetes-related eye lesions, treating diabetes and controlling blood sugar is the basic key, and endocrinologists and ophthalmologists need to work closely together to assist patients with treatment. If you need to undergo eye surgery, it is recommended that you do not operate for the time being when your blood sugar is unstable. Patients with diabetes must have their eyes checked regularly for early detection and treatment. Middle-aged and elderly people without a history of diabetes should also have regular medical checkups to keep an eye on their health.