Does Diabetes Affect the Eyes?

Diabetes impacts your body's ability to convert food into energy. When you consume food, your body breaks down most of it into glucose. This sugar then enters your bloodstream. The pancreas releases insulin to facilitate the entry of blood sugar into your cells. That is essential to produce energy.

You may have diabetes due to one of the following issues:

• Your pancreas produces insufficient insulin
   

• Your body's cells cannot effectively use insulin

Thus, an excessive amount of blood sugar remains in the bloodstream. That can lead to severe health complications over time. These include kidney disease, heart disease, and vision loss.
 

How Diabetes Affects the Eyes: An Overview of Diabetic Eye Disease

Diabetic eye disease is the collective name for various diabetes-related eye issues. The retinal blood vessels tend to change due to these eye conditions. 
 

Diabetic Macular Edema

One complication of diabetic retinopathy is diabetic macular edema (DME). It happens when fluid seeps from the retina's damaged blood vessels and builds up in the macula. That area found in the retina's center produces sharp, straight-ahead vision. DME causes blurred or distorted vision, as well as difficulty reading. It is treatable with laser therapy and medication injections.
 

Diabetic Retinopathy

Many diabetes patients suffer from this prevalent eye condition. It stems from damage to the retina's blood vessels, resulting in vision loss. Common signs of diabetic retinopathy include:

• Blurred or double vision
   

• Dark or empty spots in your field of vision
   

• Trouble seeing at night

Specific risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing diabetic retinopathy. These include hypertension, uncontrolled chronic diabetes, and high blood glucose.
 

Glaucoma and Diabetes: Understanding the Link Between the Two Conditions

Glaucoma damages the eye's optic nerve, which sends visual information from the eyes to the brain. Those with diabetes are more likely to develop glaucoma compared to those without the condition.

According to experts, this increased risk is due to the detrimental effects of high blood glucose levels on the blood vessels in the eyes. These effects increase the chances of developing glaucoma.
 

Cataracts and Diabetes: How High Blood Sugar Levels Can Affect Vision

Cataracts, a common eye condition, often affect people as they age. Yet, those with diabetes are more likely to experience more severe symptoms and develop cataracts at a younger age. Cataracts develop when the eye's lens becomes cloudy, leading to blurred vision and glare. Cataracts can develop when the lens swells and changes shape due to high blood sugar levels.
 

Preventing Diabetic Eye Disease

Effective diabetes management is the best defense against diabetic eye disease. That entails keeping your blood sugar levels within a healthy range. It would help to manage your blood pressure and cholesterol and quit smoking. Additionally, routine eye exams are crucial for preventing vision loss and allowing early detection of diabetic eye disease.
 

Conclusion

As a complication of diabetes, diabetic eye disease can cause vision loss and blindness. Still, the disease's progression can slow or stop with early diagnosis and treatment. To protect your vision if you have diabetes, schedule routine eye exams with your eye doctor at Ciotti Eye Care. It would also help to abide by the above recommendations. Remember that preventing vision loss and maintaining good eye health depends on early detection.

For more on contact lenses, visit Ciotti Eye Care at our Riverview, Florida office. Call 813-212-7400 to schedule an appointment today.