Diabetes Can Impact Eye Health
If you have diabetes, managing your blood sugar levels is essential.
It's not just important for preventing complications with your heart, kidneys, or nerves — it's also crucial for protecting your vision. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of vision loss in adults, making regular eye exams an essential part of your diabetes care plan.
How Diabetes Affects Your Eyes
High blood sugar levels can damage the tiny blood vessels in your retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. This condition, called diabetic retinopathy, develops gradually and often without noticeable symptoms in its early stages. By the time you notice vision changes, significant damage may have already occurred.
Diabetic retinopathy progresses through stages. In the early phase, known as nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, weakened blood vessels may leak fluid or blood into the retina. As the condition advances to proliferative diabetic retinopathy, new abnormal blood vessels grow on the retina's surface. These fragile vessels can bleed into the eye, causing sudden vision loss or leading to retinal detachment.
Beyond Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes increases your risk for several other eye conditions as well. People with diabetes are more likely to develop cataracts at a younger age, experiencing clouding of the eye's natural lens that causes blurry vision. Diabetes also doubles your risk of developing glaucoma, a condition where increased pressure damages the optic nerve and can lead to permanent vision loss.
Diabetic macular edema is another serious complication where fluid accumulates in the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision. This swelling can significantly impact your ability to read, drive, and recognize faces.
Protecting Your Vision
The good news is that early detection and proper management can prevent or slow vision loss from diabetes. Here's what you can do to protect your eyes:
- Schedule regular comprehensive eye exams. If you have diabetes, you should see your eye doctor at least once a year, even if your vision seems fine. During a dilated eye exam, your optometrist can detect early signs of diabetic eye disease before you notice any symptoms.
- Control your blood sugar levels. Maintaining healthy blood glucose levels is your first line of defense against diabetic eye complications. Work with your healthcare team to keep your A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol within target ranges.
- Don't ignore changes in vision. If you experience blurry vision, floaters, dark spots, flashing lights, or difficulty seeing colors, contact your eye doctor immediately. These could be warning signs of serious complications.
- Manage other health factors. Controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, and avoiding smoking all contribute to better eye health.
Take Action to Protect Your Vision
Remember, diabetic eye disease is largely preventable with proper care and monitoring. By prioritizing your eye health and working closely with both your primary care physician and eye doctor, you can significantly reduce your risk of vision loss and maintain clear sight for years to come.