Diabetes is a serious condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It’s also the leading cause of vision loss among adults aged 18 to 64. For individuals with diabetes, eye health should be a top priority to prevent complications and ensure long-term vision quality. To help you understand the connection better, here's what you need to know about diabetes and eye health.
Understanding Diabetes and Eye Health
The relationship between diabetes and eye health is complex, primarily due to how elevated blood glucose levels can affect the tiny blood vessels in the eyes. When blood sugar remains consistently high, it can damage these blood vessels, leading to a range of potential complications. As diabetes progresses, the risk of developing eye conditions increases, which makes regular monitoring essential. Understanding these risks and knowing what symptoms to watch out for can help in early detection and better management of eye health.
Risk Factors for Developing Eye Problems
Generally speaking, the longer you have diabetes, the greater the risk of developing some kind of eye condition. This puts many individuals diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in childhood at a higher risk. However, type 1 diabetes in adults and individuals who develop type 2 diabetes later in life are still at risk.
With that said, living with diabetes does not mean that you are guaranteed to experience eye troubles. Other, more controllable risk factors include the following:
- Have long-term high blood sugar
- Have long-term high blood pressure
- Have high blood cholesterol
- Are pregnant
- Have gestational diabetes
- Smoke tobacco
Different Eye Diseases That Can Result from Diabetes
Several different conditions and diseases can occur as a result of long-term diabetes. They're usually related to how blood vessels function or due to a buildup on the eye's lens. You can reduce the risk of eye-related complications by managing your diabetes and seeing your diabetes specialist often, but don't wait to see an ophthalmologist until you experience symptoms. Regular eye exams can help catch symptoms early, allowing for the most effective treatment and management.
It's important to note that if you experience any eye-related symptoms, you should see your eye doctor as soon as possible. Early detection and treatment or management of certain eye conditions is the best way to delay or prevent vision loss. Some of the different conditions that can affect parts of your eyes include the following:
- Diabetic Retinopathy — Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common eye-related issues that's caused by diabetes. It occurs when high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina, leading to vision issues and, over time, potential vision loss if untreated.
- Macular Edema — Often a complication of diabetic retinopathy, macular edema involves swelling in the central part of the retina (macula), causing blurred or distorted vision.
- Glaucoma — People with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing glaucoma, a group of diseases that increase pressure in the eye, damaging the optic nerve and potentially leading to blindness.
- Cataracts — Diabetes accelerates the formation of cataracts, a condition in which the eye’s lens becomes cloudy, resulting in blurred vision and difficulty seeing in bright light.
Symptoms of Eye Disease to Watch Out For
Early signs of eye diseases related to diabetes complications may not show symptoms. This is why getting regular eye exams is so important. However, as the disease progresses, you may notice one or more of the following:
- Frequently changing vision
- Blurry vision
- Wavy vision
- Dark areas
- Spots or floaters
- Slight vision loss
- Poor color vision
- Flashes of light
Understanding Your Eye Exam Results When Living with Diabetes
If you experience any symptoms from above, it's important to see your eye doctor as soon as possible. A proper diagnosis will help you better understand what's going on and which treatment plan will be most effective.
There are two different ways that your doctor may administer an eye exam: dilated eye exams or through a specialized picture that focuses on the back of the eye. The latter is a bit more recent and integrates AI to help identify signs of diabetic retinopathy early. This type of exam can give you one of three different results:
- Negative Results — This means that the back of your eye showed no signs of diabetic retinopathy, which requires an eye doctor. If you have symptoms (i.e., blurred vision or vision loss), seeing a doctor is important. Otherwise, you can be retested in one year.
- Image Quality Insufficient — This is less common but likely means that the picture quality wasn't good enough for AI analysis. You'll need to see an eye doctor to be sure.
- Positive Results — This indicates that there's some degree of diabetic retinopathy, and you need to be evaluated by an eye doctor.
Treatment for Eye Problems Caused by Diabetes
The idea of vision loss can be scary, but there are treatments available to help. The key is early detection, as most vision loss is irreversible once it already happens. This is why it's so important to get eye exams when living with diabetes. Some of the most common treatments available include the following:
- Eye drops to help lower fluid pressure inside your eye
- Eye injections to prevent new blood vessels from growing
- Lasers to stop blood vessels from leaking
- Surgery to remove blood and scar tissue
- Surgery to remove a cloudy lens
Regardless of the type of treatment you receive, controlling blood sugar levels is the best way to help prevent further eye problems. If you're having difficulty or don't think your current treatment plan is working, talk to your doctor or diabetes specialist as soon as possible.
How People with Diabetes Can Help Prevent Eye Diseases
While diabetes and eye disease can both be challenging conditions to manage, there are steps you can take to help protect your vision and prevent the onset of conditions. Regardless of your age, here are some of the best ways to take control of your eye health today:
Quit Smoking
Smoking increases the risk of eye problems in people with diabetes. It restricts blood flow, which can further damage the blood vessels in your eyes, accelerating conditions like diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. Therefore, quitting smoking is one of the best steps to reduce these risks and protect your overall eye health. If you're having trouble, talk to your doctor about smoking cessation tools to help.
Protect Your Eyes
The sun can also damage different parts of the eye, which is why polarized glasses are recommended. Ideally, you should be wearing sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays to protect your eyes from harmful UV exposure, which can worsen eye conditions. Additionally, wear protective eyewear if your work or hobbies expose you to bright lights or flying particles. Shielding your eyes from unnecessary strain or injury can make a significant difference in maintaining long-term eye health, especially when managing diabetes.
Manage Blood Sugar Levels
Some people may find that they experience blurry vision from high blood glucose levels for a few days or weeks when changing diabetes medications. This does not necessarily mean that you have early stages of diabetic retinopathy or another eye condition. High blood sugar can cause temporary swelling and eye pressure that causes blurriness, but this usually goes away once blood sugar levels are stable. However, long-term high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels in your eye, so it's important to work with your doctor to find a diabetes management plan that works for you.
Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
High blood pressure and cholesterol contribute to damage in the blood vessels throughout your body, including your eyes. Keeping these levels in check can help reduce the progression of diabetic eye diseases. Exercise, a balanced diet, and prescribed medication can all help manage blood pressure and cholesterol. Your doctor will help you better understand how to lower blood pressure and cholesterol if they get too high.
Undergo Regular Eye Exams
Annual eye exams are the best way to catch any changes in your vision or the early onset of eye conditions associated with diabetes. These exams allow your doctor to monitor your eye health closely so that any necessary treatments can be implemented before serious vision loss occurs. Remember, even if you have no symptoms, eye exams are crucial because many eye issues related to diabetes can develop silently.
For additional diabetes support and management, Byram Healthcare has a range of continuous blood glucose monitors. We also have a range of diabetes support and educational materials available to help you access everything you need for comprehensive care.
