How Diabetes Affects Your Eyesight (Diabetes and Eye Problems)

If you have diabetes, you should definitely be concerned about this issue. Many people think that diabetes is just about blood sugar levels. But in fact, diabetes, if not properly controlled, can do more damage to your precious eyes than you think. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults between the ages of 20 and 74. So let's talk about this in a little more detail today.

The first common symptom: blurred vision

If you suddenly feel a little blurry, don't panic and run out to buy a new pair of glasses. This is probably a temporary thing caused by your high blood sugar.

Simply put, when your blood sugar levels rise, the natural lens inside your eye can swell. When this happens, your eye can't focus properly and your vision becomes blurry.

The solution is to get your blood sugar levels back into the target range . It's usually best to keep them between 70-130 mg/dL before meals and below 180 mg/dL 1-2 hours after meals. Once your blood sugar is under control, it can take up to three months for your vision to fully return to normal.

Cataracts

Think about it, just like a camera, our eyes have a natural lens that helps us see images clearly. When this lens becomes cloudy, like a dirty windowpane, we call it a "cataract." Anyone can develop this condition.

However, people with diabetes are more likely to develop cataracts at a younger age and develop them more rapidly than the general population.

When the lens becomes cloudy, the eye cannot focus images properly. This causes symptoms such as blurred vision and glare when looking at light. The treatment for this is surgery to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens.

Glaucoma: Increased pressure inside the eye

People with diabetes are also at higher risk of developing glaucoma. This occurs when the fluid produced inside the eye (doctors call it `aqueous humor`) cannot drain properly, causing pressure inside the eye to build up. This increased pressure can damage the nerves and blood vessels in the eye, causing vision changes.

Types and characteristics of glaucoma

• The most common type (Open-angle glaucoma): The most dangerous thing about this is that there are no symptoms until the disease is very advanced and vision is severely damaged. That is why it is so important to have annual eye exams . A doctor can detect this early. This condition can be treated with medications and special eye drops.
• Rare types: In these types, you may show symptoms like:
• Headache
• Eye pain or soreness
• Blurred vision
• Watery eyes
• Seeing halos around lights
• Loss of vision

People with diabetes can develop another rare condition called ``Neovascular Glaucoma.`` This is when new, unwanted blood vessels form on the colored part of the eye (iris). These block the flow of fluid and increase pressure in the eye. This is treated with laser treatments or an injection called ``Anti-VEGF.``

Diabetic Retinopathy

This is the most serious and concerning eye damage caused by diabetes.

Simply put, the retina is a collection of light-sensitive cells at the back of our eyes. These cells convert light into images and send them to the brain via the optic nerve.

Uncontrolled high blood sugar levels damage the delicate blood vessels in the retina. We call this ``Diabetic Retinopathy.`` If this is not recognized and treated early, it can lead to complete blindness . The longer you have diabetes, the greater your risk of this condition.

How can I escape this?

The best thing to do is to keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels under control. If you smoke, quitting is a great help for your eyes and overall health.

Different stages of diabetic retinopathy

• Background Retinopathy: This is the first stage. Even though the blood vessels are damaged, your vision may still be good. However, this can get worse if your diabetes is not controlled.
• Maculopathy: This condition occurs when diabetes affects the part of the retina called the macula. The macula is the area that gives us the clearest vision for fine things like reading and driving. The swelling here can be easily treated, but it can also be a serious condition that is difficult to treat.
• Proliferative Retinopathy: This is the most severe form. When the cells in the back of the eye don't get enough oxygen, new, weak blood vessels begin to form. These are very fragile. They can bleed, clot, and scar easily. These scars can even cause the retina to detach from the back of the eye. If it does, you may lose your vision forever . But there are treatments for this condition. Surgery and laser treatments can destroy these unwanted blood vessels and prevent blindness.

Situations when you need to see a doctor urgently

If you experience any of the following symptoms, it could be an emergency. So seek medical advice immediately . If necessary, go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department (ETU).