How Diabetes Affects Eye Health

Diabetes is a chronic health condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It is a metabolic disorder. It develops when your body cannot produce or use insulin properly. Insulin is the hormone that balances blood sugar levels in the body. The condition can lead to various complications like damage to your eyes. 

Understanding Diabetes and Eye Health

There are different types of diabetes. Understanding them is vital in learning how the condition can affect your eye health. Type 1 diabetes develops in childhood or adolescence as an autoimmune disease. It happens when your autoimmune system attacks the cells in your pancreas and destroys them. These cells are responsible for insulin production.

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is diagnosed when a patient is an adult. It is often associated with lifestyle factors such as exercise and diet. It causes the body to be resistant to insulin, and your pancreas does not produce adequate insulin to compensate.

There are different ways in which diabetes affects eye health. High blood sugar levels impair blood vessels in the body, including the ones in your eyes. It can lead to eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts.

Diabetic Eye Disease Symptoms

Symptoms of diabetic eye disease vary with the type and severity of the condition. The most common symptoms are blurry vision, dark spots, seeing floaters, and difficulty seeing at night. See your eye doctor as soon as possible if you start experiencing any of these symptoms.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes causes this condition as a common complication. It develops when the blood vessels in the retina get damaged. They leak blood or fluid and cause blurry vision or vision loss. The retina is responsible for vision, so any harm to it can negatively affect sight.

Diabetic retinopathy comprises two types. Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy is when the retina has small areas of swelling. It occurs in the early stages of the condition. The second type is proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the more advanced stage of the disease. It occurs when new blood vessels grow in your retina, leak, and form scar tissue that leads to vision loss.

Glaucoma

The pressure in the eye can increase and damage the optic nerve. When it does, it causes glaucoma. It causes blindness if left to progress without treatment. Studies show that diabetes increases the risk of glaucoma by 40%. This means that individuals with diabetes can lose their sight from glaucoma if they do not control their blood sugar levels.

Cataracts

Diabetes can lead to complications like the development of a clouding in the eye lens called a cataract. The conditions cause blurry vision. Studies show that diabetes increases cataract risk by up to 60%.

Prevention and Management 

Diabetes management is the first step to preventing diabetic eye disease. Keep your blood sugar levels under control to reduce your risk of developing complications that arise from diabetes. Your lifestyle also plays a significant role in managing your diabetes. Eat a healthy diet, avoid smoking, and exercise regularly.

For more information on diabetes and eye health, visit Dr. Greg Wacasey in Longview, Texas. Call (903) 403-2020 to schedule an appointment.