If you have been treated with pre-type two diabetes or already have diabetes, taking care of your eyes is critical. Diabetic retinopathy is a major problem, but diabetic people are more likely to develop diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma. If you have diabetes, ensure to see Swati Kumar OD, FAAO, at least twice a year to ensure that your vision is optimized and that any loss is minimized by quick diagnosis and treatment. Here are some examples of how diabetes can lead to eyesight loss.
A. Cataracts
Like a camera, your eye’s inherent internal lens helps you view and focus on an image. A cataract forms when the lens becomes clouded, similar to a dirty or smeared window. They can affect anybody, but those with diabetes are more likely to get them early and worsen them quicker. When a portion of your lens becomes foggy, your eye cannot focus properly. Blurred vision and brightness are common symptoms. A cataract will require surgery to remove. The specialist fixes the cloudy lens with an artificial one.
B. Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetes affects the retina’s vascular system. Diabetic retinopathy, like glaucoma, does not often cause symptoms until it advances. Diabetic retinopathy is more likely to be discovered during a routine eye checkup for someone who has it (using a comprehensive dilated eye exam). Symptoms may include seeing black spots or a spiderweb impression, difficulties seeing things at a distance, difficulty reading, or seeing floating dots as the illness advances. Furthermore, bleeding in the retina causes spots, streaks, or webbing effects. If the bleeding stops, they may go away on their own, but to prevent diabetic retinopathy from worsening, they must be diagnosed and treated.
C. Glaucoma
One of the most common causes of visual loss and blindness is glaucoma. Glaucoma is also a “silent” eye ailment, as many individuals are unaware they have it unless they visit their optometrist regularly. Glaucoma develops when the fluid pressure inside the eye rises to dangerously high levels. Pressure builds up inside arteries and nerves, eventually causing visual loss. Glaucoma is a disease in which diabetes is a risk factor. Some types of glaucoma, fortunately, may be treated with medicine. If you have diabetes, you are more likely to get neovascular glaucoma, a rare kind of glaucoma treated with injections in the back of the eye. In any case, early identification is critical since glaucoma visual loss is usually irreversible. As a result, controlling glaucoma is essential to maintaining your eyesight.
D. Proliferative retinopathy
New blood vessels begin to form when cells in the rear of your eye do not receive enough oxygen. Because they are delicate, they might bleed and cause a clot. Your retina may peel away from the back of your eye, leaving scars. If it becomes disconnected, you may experience irreversible visual loss. This illness is sometimes treatable. Both surgery and a laser procedure that burns the blood vessels away are possibilities. In up to 50% of those with early retinopathy, it can avoid blindness.
People with diabetes are more likely to have vision disorders such as impaired vision, glaucoma, maculopathy, and retinal diseases. To avoid these sight-threatening disorders, keep your blood sugar under control and have your eyes inspected by a specialist at least once a year. Call Alamo Eye Care or book a meeting online to learn more about diabetic eye diagnosis.
