Eye Conditions and Diabetes
If like many aging Americans you have been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, then you may be concerned about the potential effects the condition may have on your eyesight. High blood sugar does increase the risk of several debilitating conditions, including some that affect the eye and compromise vision. It’s a sad fact that diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in adults between the ages of twenty and seventy.
The high blood sugar that accompanies diabetes has many effects on your body, including your eyes. High blood sugar can make the lens of the eye swell, affecting vision. You may think you need a new vision prescription, when you need to get your blood sugar back into the acceptable range.
Blurred vision in general warrants a trip to your Doctor of Optometry, even moreso when it is accompanied by a diabetic diagnosis. Additionally, there are three main diseases or conditions of the eye that are impacted by diabetes: cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.
Cataracts and Diabetes
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens. In order for you to see clearly, you have to be able to focus your lens like a camera does. Unfortunately, when the lens is clouded, this becomes more difficult.
Diabetes has been linked to cataracts in two key ways. First, people who have diabetes are far more likely to develop cataracts at an earlier age than those who do not. Second, having diabetes generally will accelerate the progression of the condition. Treatment options include surgery, and preventive care for high blood sugar.
Glaucoma and Diabetes
Glaucoma is a condition in which the fluid within the eye doesn’t drain properly, causing a build up of pressure. This increase in eye pressure can damage the blood vessels and nerves of the eye, leading to problems with and changes in vision.
Problems with blood sugar regulation associated with diabetes have also been associated with glaucoma, including a rare, difficult-to-treat type that causes blood vessels to grow within the iris of the eye. Medication and surgery are both used to treat glaucoma in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is another blood vessel-related condition of the eye. Similar to the type of microvascular damage that causes kidney problems in diabetics, diabetes can cause problems with the small blood vessels in the eye. Diabetic retinopathy is difficult to treat, and is best prevented by maintaining correct blood sugar levels.
Diabetes and Vision Problems
Because diabetes can wreak such havoc within several systems in the body, it is generally best to prevent it at all costs. Diabetes can affect the eyes, causing blurred vision and exacerbating certain conditions, while causing others. Glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy are treatable, but are always best prevented.
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