Can diabetes cause vision loss? (Diabetic Retinopathy) Let's learn exactly what it is

If you have diabetes, you may be worried about your eyesight. You may be wondering, 'Will something happen to my eyes someday?' Diabetes is actually a disease that can affect our eyes. So today we are going to talk about the most serious and major eye condition that can be caused by diabetes, called 'Diabetic Retinopathy.' Don't worry, if we are aware of this, we can prevent the damage that this can cause to a great extent.

Why does diabetes affect the eyes so much?

Simply put, diabetes is a disease that damages the tiny blood vessels in our bodies. Think of the retina at the back of our eyes. This is the film-like part of a camera that sends what we see to the brain. This retina is nourished by a very fine network of blood vessels. It's like a pipe that carries water.

When blood sugar levels are not controlled for a long time due to diabetes, these delicate blood vessels (reeds) are damaged. Then they become weak, and fluids such as blood and plasma gradually start leaking out of them. These leaks accumulate on the retina. As a result, the retina swells, and what we see becomes blurry and unclear. Also, this damage reduces the oxygen and nutrition that the retina receives.

Sometimes, the body tries to solve this problem. Do you know how? By creating new blood vessels. But the problem is, these new blood vessels are very fragile and weak. They can easily burst and bleed. Or, scar tissue can form around them, and the scarring can cause the retina to detach from the wall of the eye. The end result of all of this is permanent vision loss and blindness.

The scariest thing about this: showing no signs at first!

This is the biggest challenge with diabetic retinopathy. The disease often doesn't show any symptoms in the early stages. Even if you have good vision, damage to the inside of your eye can occur gradually. This is why we always say that everyone with diabetes should have an eye exam at least once a year .

Many people see a doctor after symptoms appear. That is, when vision becomes blurry or black spots appear before the eyes. But by then, some of the damage has already been done.

As the disease progresses, you may experience symptoms such as:

The good news: this can be treated!

Many people are very scared when they see these signs during an eye exam. They ask, "Will I lose my sight now?" However, most of the time this condition is detected in the early stages. Then there is a lot we can do.

The most important first step

The best and most important way to prevent vision loss is to control your blood sugar and blood pressure very well. That means taking your doctor's prescribed medications on time, controlling your diet, and exercising. Sometimes doctors will take a picture of the inside of your eye and show it to the patient, saying, "Look at the damage diabetes has done to your eyes." When many people see that, they realize how important it is to control their sugar and blood pressure.

What if the disease is a little more severe?

Imagine that your condition is a little severe. Even if it is, don't worry. Today, there are very effective treatments for this.

1. Anti-VEGF injections: These are one of the first treatments used. These injections are injected into the eye to reduce swelling inside the eye and stop fluid from leaking out of the blood vessels. This can help control vision loss and sometimes restore some of the lost vision . These injections are given by an eye specialist in his or her office.

2. Laser Surgery: Laser surgery can be used to "seal" or close off the bleeding from damaged blood vessels. It can also shrink any new, unwanted, weak blood vessels that form.

3. Vitrectomy: This is done in very severe cases of the disease. Here, an eye surgeon goes inside the eye and removes the accumulated blood and fluid. He also removes the scar tissue that has formed on the retina. After this surgery, clear vision can be restored.

Most importantly: don't miss your eye exam!

This is not enough. Everyone with diabetes, even if they have good vision, should have their eyes checked by an eye specialist once a year.

During an eye exam, your doctor will put eye drops in your eye to dilate the pupil. This will allow him to clearly examine the retina and blood vessels inside your eye.

When should you get your eyes checked?

• When you are first diagnosed with diabetes: As soon as you find out you have diabetes, get an eye exam, as damage may have already begun to occur inside the eye.
• Then every year: Get checked at least once a year. If you already have Diabetic Retinopathy, your doctor may recommend that you get checked more frequently (every 3 months, every 6 months).
• During pregnancy: If a woman with diabetes becomes pregnant, she should have her eyes checked several times throughout her pregnancy, as hormonal and stress changes in the body during this time can worsen diabetes-related eye conditions.
• After sugar is well controlled: This is a bit surprising. After years of uncontrolled sugar, when sugar is suddenly well controlled, some people's eyes may temporarily get a little worse. Although the exact reason for this is not known, it is thought that the body and eyes, which have been used to chaos for so long, cannot adjust to this sudden change for the better. Therefore, it is important to take care of your eyes even at such times.

The good news is that even if you have diabetes, if you get your eyes checked on time, get the necessary treatment, and control your blood sugar and blood pressure, your vision will be fine.We can maintain good health throughout our lives, but it requires both you, the doctor, and the patient, to work together.