Diabetic Eye Disease
If you have diabetes, you may be familiar with the term “diabetic eye disease.” It is used to describe a collection of eye problems that can affect people with diabetes.
How Diabetes Affects the Eyes
When your blood sugar levels are too high – 6.5% or higher on an HbA1C blood test – you may be diagnosed with diabetes. The HbA1C test result roughly represents your average blood sugar levels over the past three months.
Why Blood Sugar Levels Matter
The sugar in the foods or drinks you consume is absorbed into your blood vessels. Once in the bloodstream, insulin produced by the pancreas moves the sugar into muscle, liver, and other tissue cells, where it can be used as a form of energy and stored for future use. However, in people with diabetes, either your body does not create enough insulin (type 1 diabetes), or the insulin isn’t effective enough (type 2 diabetes). Either way, blood sugar levels in the blood remain high and many cells are deprived of energy.
Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage multiple organs and other tissue throughout the body – including the eyes.
Types of Diabetic Eye Disease
Diabetes can cause an array of problems in eye tissue, especially in the retina which can affect your vision. Diabetic eye diseases, including the following:
The retina is located at the back of your eye – and it is key to your ability to see. When light focuses on the retina, signals are sent to the brain, via the optic nerve, that convert the patterns of light you’re seeing into images.
When uncontrolled diabetes causes blood vessels in the retina to swell, leak, or become blocked, the condition is called diabetic retinopathy. It can inhibit blood flow in the eye and result in vision problems. Both eyes are typically affected.
Common symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include:
- An increase in floaters
- Blurry vision
- Dark areas within your field of vision
- Colors appear faded
Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in adults.
There are two parts of the retina, which are located at the back of the eye: the macula, at its center, and the peripheral retina. The macula helps you have a fine, centered, and straight-ahead vision.
Diabetic macular edema describes swelling in the macula due to poorly controlled diabetes. This typically occurs after diabetic retinopathy has already caused blood vessels in the retina to leak, which then irritates and swells the macula. When this happens, it can cause double vision, along with all the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy.
There is no cure for diabetic macular edema, although treatment can help prevent its progression.
People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing cataracts. High blood sugar levels can create a cloudy buildup in the lens of the eye, which can result in cataracts forming at an earlier age than average or developing faster than usual.
When diabetes damages the blood vessels of the retina, it can cause new, weak, and abnormal blood vessels to form. These dysfunctional blood vessels may form on the iris of the eye, which can increase eye pressure and lead to glaucoma.
Treating Diabetic Eye Disease
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes. It’s far easier to control your diabetes than it is to treat the eye problems that occur as a result of chronically high blood sugar levels. Often, there are no warning signs of a problem until significant damage is done.
If you have diabetes, one of the best things you can do to keep your eyes healthy and preserve your vision is to regularly see an eye doctor and have dilated eye exams.
Depending on the specific eye disease you have, there are numerous medications that can be prescribed to help alleviate your symptoms. Swelling or inflammation is typically addressed via an injection in the eye. Laser surgery can also help, such as to shrink or closing leaking blood vessels in the eye. Other types of surgery may also help. No matter your condition, the experts at Miramar Eye Institute will provide a treatment plan unique to you.
Eye Care for Diabetics in South Florida
If you or someone you love have diabetes, make sure regular eye doctor visits are a part of your healthcare routine. Doing this can identify and treat diabetic eye disease at its earliest stages, protecting your eye health and vision. To find out more, call Miramar Eye Institute in South Florida at CALL TODAY: (954) 437-4316 or request an appointment now.