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Five Eye Conditions Caused By Diabetes

There are many ways diabetes can affect your eyesight. Minor problems can be taken care of by normalizing your blood sugar or taking eye drops. But on other occasions, it may be an indicator of something more severe.

Diabetes can result in damaged eyes. What started as vision loss will eventually result in blindness. But all is not lost. Regular eye checkups and strict diabetes management programs can curb these side effects. When protecting your eyesight, prompt diagnosis and effective eye treatment are important.

Five Common Diabetic Eye Conditions

Cataracts

If you’re developing cataracts, your eyesight may become blurry. Diabetics are more likely to get cataracts at a younger age than normal individuals. Cataracts cause the lens of your eyes to become cloudy. Common symptoms include blurred vision and glare, double vision, usually in just one eye, sensitivity to light, and vision that doesn’t improve with new glasses or a prescription that must be changed often.

Macular edema

This eye condition is associated with the macula – the part of the eye that’s responsible for communicating the best resolution images to your brain. The macula is situated near the center of the retina and helps us see clearly.

Diabetic retinopathy

Retinal blood vessels swell up and leak into the macula in diabetic retinopathy. This results in an inflamed macula formally called edema. Edema is characterized by fuzzy or wavy vision.

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is characterized by the build-up and accumulation of glucose in the body, especially when the body lacks sufficient insulin to process it.

A common symptom of the condition is blurred vision, but there are other symptoms too:

  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Increased thirst and urination

It’s essential to manage and control your glucose levels. Below average blood sugar levels can lead to more problems with vision and significantly increase the risk of permanent blindness.

Glaucoma

When the nerve that connects the retina to the brain, the optic nerve, is damaged because of high pressure inside the eye, glaucoma begins to develop. A damaged optic nerve results in vision loss. Subsequently, cumulative damage will cause a complete and permanent loss of vision. A particular type of glaucoma, known as neovascular glaucoma, is caused by diabetes. Abnormally high sugar levels can damage the eye’s blood vessels to the extent that the eye has to make new ones. Because of the development of new blood vessels, pressure on the iris will increase. And this high pressure is a precursor to glaucoma.

Preventing Diabetes-Related Eye Conditions

Diabetes is here to stay. But knowing a few preventive measures can help us keep our eyes healthy and durable. Here are a few steps:

  • Dilated eye exams every year: Prevention is better than cure. Any abnormalities will be detected at their earliest stages.
  • Control your blood sugar levels: High blood sugar levels can do a lot of damage. Some side effects are damaged blood vessels, misshapen lenses all of which can result in blurry vision.
  • Keep a close watch on your blood pressure and cholesterol: It’s important to have your blood pressure and cholesterol at a normal optimal level. It can reduce your risk for eye diseases and vision loss.
  • Quit smoking: The chances of getting diabetes-associated eye diseases drop when you lower your nicotine habit.
  • Get active: Routine exercises guard your eyes and control your diabetes.

Although refractive errors cannot be prevented, they can be detected and controlled with corrective glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery. If consulted with an eye doctor early on, refractive errors should not obstruct visual development. Corrective surgeries are of several types and depend on the individual’s problem, the person’s age, and the requirements in terms of work.

If you are experiencing any issues with your eyesight, visit MM Chokshi Eye Hospital for a quick check-up.

Look at the world with more clarity. Book an appointment today.

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One Reply to “5 Eye Conditions Caused By Diabetes”

  1. Hello, This information is very useful!
    Thanks For Sharing!

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