Eyesight problems are quite common and we see hundreds of people wearing visual aids daily. But if you are suffering from health conditions like diabetes, your eyes need more care.
Diabetes and Eye care
Diabetes can result in several complications and your eye is the most affected organ. Following this, diabetic sufferers are prone to eye diseases including diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and glaucoma etc. Eye damage among diabetics is more dangerous because diabetes is one of the leading causes of vision loss.
I remember once, my father who is diabetic sufferer was continuously complaining about a thread in his eye. We took him to a renowned Eye Specialist in Karachi, where he was diagnosed with retinal vein occlusion. So, taking care of your eyes with diabetes is a hundred times more important.
How to take care of your Eyes with diabetes?
Although it is not possible to completely prevent diabetes-induced organ damage, however, it can be prevented to a greater magnitude. Here are some of the tips to take care of your eyes with diabetes.
1. Keep an Eye on your Eye
Monitoring your eyes conditions can help you to minimize the risk of diabetes-induced eyesight problems. Routine checkups can help you to figure out the problems at early stages before further complications. So, as a diabetic, you should frequently visit your eye care specialist and get your eye checked.
2. Control your Sugar Levels
One of the most common reasons behind eyesight complications in diabetes is the fluctuating blood sugar levels. This fluctuation can result in changing the shape of your eye’s lens leading to blurred vision. Although your lens can retain its original shape after your blood sugar level goes normal. However, these prolonged fluctuations can cause damage in the long run.
3. Blood Pressure and Cholesterol can Cause the Problem
Though high blood pressure and cholesterol level are damaging for our heart they can also affect your vision. Increased blood pressure and cholesterol can increase your risk of developing vision problems with diabetes. Uncontrolled blood pressure can harm the blood vessels supplying blood to your eye and can result in vision complications.
4. UV Rays can be your Enemy
Sun rays can be damaging for your eyes so you need to protect your eyes by wearing shades. If you have to stay outdoors for longer times protect your eyes because UVA rays are cataract forming and result in macular degeneration.
5. Be more physically Active
Physical activity is an important element of disease management particularly, diseases like diabetes. Staying physically active can help you in controlling your glucose level. Regulated blood sugar can help you in preventing severe eyesight complications.
Apart from this, physical activity offers several other benefits including weight reduction. My father was getting treated for retinal occlusion at Advanced Eye Clinic in Karachi. His physician asked him to include physical activity that helped him with diabetes management ultimately resolving the vision problem.
6. Smoke Less
Smoking burns your life with it. It affects nearly all aspects of our health including our lungs, heart health etc. Apart from this, smoking can be harmful to your eyes too. Let me explain how! Smoking can affect small blood vessels related to your health. Apart from this, smoking can complicate diabetes symptoms.
7. Adequate Diet Plan
Having a nutritious diet can also help to provide essential nutrients that our eyes need. Some of the nutrients human eye need include vitamin (e, a, E), beta carotene, copper and zinc etc. You can include various food sources in your diet including carrots, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and dairy etc. You can get these sources from
Vitamin A – Carrots, Kale, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes
Vitamin C – Bell Peppers, Lemon, Oranges, Berries, Kiwi
Vitamin E – Avocado, Oats, Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes
Omega-3 Fatty Acid – Fish, Nuts, Seeds
Zinc – Beans, Legumes, Fish, Chicken
Lutein and Zeaxanthin – Spinach, Egg, Avocadoes, Peas etc.
Possible Eye Diseases in People With Diabetes
Diabetes can affect the eyes in several ways. Persistently high blood glucose may damage small blood vessels, alter the lens, and affect the nerves and surface tissues of the eye. Some changes cause no early symptoms, while others can lead to sudden or gradual vision loss. Regular eye examinations are important because many diabetes-related eye conditions are easier to treat before noticeable symptoms develop.
Having diabetes does not mean a person will develop eye disease. The risk depends on factors such as how long they have had diabetes, blood glucose control, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, and other health conditions. Prompt medical care and recommended screening can help protect vision.
## Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the retina’s small blood vessels. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that sends visual information to the brain. Retinopathy is one of the most important eye complications of diabetes and can affect people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
In its early stage, called nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may weaken, leak fluid, or develop tiny areas of swelling. Small spots of bleeding can also appear within the retina. These changes may not affect vision at first, so a person may feel well even as the condition progresses.
More advanced disease is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In response to reduced blood supply, the retina may grow new, fragile blood vessels. These vessels can bleed into the gel-like substance inside the eye, causing floaters, blurred vision, or a sudden loss of sight. They may also form scar tissue that pulls on the retina. In severe cases, this can cause a tractional retinal detachment.
Treatment depends on the stage and location of the damage. Some people need only close monitoring and improved management of blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Others may benefit from injections of medicines that reduce abnormal vessel growth or swelling. Laser treatment and surgery are also used in certain cases. An eye-care professional determines the appropriate approach.
## Diabetic Macular Edema
The macula is the central part of the retina, responsible for detailed vision needed for reading, recognizing faces, and seeing fine details. Diabetic macular edema occurs when fluid leaks into the macula, causing it to swell. It can happen at any stage of diabetic retinopathy.
Macular edema may cause blurred or distorted central vision. Straight lines might appear wavy, or colors may seem less vivid. It can affect one or both eyes, and early changes may be difficult to notice without an examination.
An eye professional can detect swelling through a dilated retinal examination and imaging tests, such as optical coherence tomography. Treatment may include eye injections, laser therapy, or, less commonly, surgery. Managing diabetes and related conditions is also important, but good blood glucose control does not replace eye treatment when swelling is present.
## Cataracts
A cataract is clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the pupil. Cataracts are common with aging, but people with diabetes may develop them at a younger age or have them progress more quickly.
A cataract can make vision cloudy, dim, or less sharp. Glare from headlights or bright sunlight may become troublesome, and colors may appear faded. These changes usually develop gradually, although the speed varies.
An eye examination can establish whether a cataract is affecting vision and whether another condition, such as retinopathy, is also present. When a cataract significantly interferes with daily activities, surgery can replace the cloudy lens with an artificial one. People with diabetes may need careful retinal assessment before and after surgery because existing retinal disease can influence the final level of vision.
## Glaucoma
Glaucoma refers to a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve, which carries signals from the eye to the brain. People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing glaucoma, particularly the common form known as open-angle glaucoma. This type usually progresses slowly and often causes no pain or noticeable symptoms in its early stages.
As damage advances, side vision may gradually narrow. Because the changes can be subtle, regular eye examinations are important. Eye-care professionals assess the optic nerve and may measure eye pressure and test the visual field. Pressure is often raised in glaucoma, but it is not the only factor involved.
Treatment aims to slow or prevent further optic nerve damage. It may involve prescription eye drops, laser procedures, or surgery. A person should not wait for symptoms before seeking screening, because vision lost from glaucoma generally cannot be restored.
In rare cases, advanced diabetic retinopathy can lead to neovascular glaucoma. Abnormal blood vessels grow in the front of the eye and interfere with fluid drainage, causing eye pressure to rise. This can be painful and may threaten vision, so it requires urgent specialist care.
## Retinal Detachment
A retinal detachment occurs when the retina separates from the tissue that normally supports it. In people with advanced diabetic retinopathy, scar tissue can pull the retina away from the back of the eye. This is called a tractional retinal detachment. A detachment can also occur for other reasons unrelated to diabetes.
Warning signs may include a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light, or a dark curtain or shadow moving across the field of vision. These symptoms need urgent assessment, even if they are not painful. A retinal detachment can cause permanent vision loss if treatment is delayed. Treatment may include surgery to reattach the retina.
## Changes in Focus and Blurred Vision
Blood glucose changes can temporarily alter the shape of the eye’s lens and affect how it focuses. As a result, a person may notice fluctuating blurry vision, particularly when glucose levels change significantly. This temporary blurring is different from permanent damage to the retina, but an examination may be needed to identify the cause.
People should avoid changing their glasses prescription based only on a brief period of blurred vision during unstable glucose levels. They should seek advice from an eye-care professional, especially if the blurring persists, worsens, or occurs with other symptoms. Sudden vision changes should not be assumed to be a temporary effect of blood glucose.
## Dry Eye and Corneal Problems
Diabetes may affect the tear film and the surface of the eye, contributing to dry eye. Symptoms can include a gritty or burning sensation, redness, watering, and fluctuating vision. Dry eye can have many causes, so persistent discomfort should be assessed rather than automatically attributed to diabetes.
Diabetes can also affect the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. In some people, reduced corneal sensitivity or slower healing makes the surface more vulnerable to injury or irritation. A person may not notice a minor injury as readily if sensation is reduced. Eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, or a feeling that something is in the eye should be checked, particularly if symptoms do not quickly improve.
## Less Common Optic Nerve Problems
Diabetes is associated with a higher risk of some conditions that affect the optic nerve. One example is non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, in which reduced blood flow damages part of the nerve. It can cause sudden, usually painless vision loss in one eye. This condition has several possible risk factors and is not caused by diabetes alone. Sudden loss of vision requires urgent medical assessment.
Eye Examinations and Prevention
Because diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma can develop without early symptoms, routine eye care is essential. People with diabetes should follow screening advice from their diabetes-care team and eye-care professional. The timing of examinations depends on the type and duration of diabetes, previous eye findings, pregnancy, and other individual factors. A dilated eye examination allows the clinician to inspect the retina; photographs or other imaging may also be used.
Good management of blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol can reduce the risk or slow the progression of diabetes-related eye damage. Not smoking and attending recommended medical appointments can also support eye health. These steps are helpful, but they do not eliminate the need for eye examinations.
Seek urgent care for sudden vision loss, a new curtain-like shadow, a sudden shower of floaters, flashes of light, or severe eye pain. Arrange an eye examination for persistent blurring, distorted central vision, or other changes, even if they seem mild. Early detection and appropriate treatment can preserve vision and help people with diabetes maintain their independence and quality of life.
Takeaway Note
Your eye health is crucial for your overall well-being. However, if you are a diabetes sufferer, your eye health becomes even more crucial due to diabetes-related complications. So, you can focus on your lifestyle habits for improved visionary health. Apart from this, regular monitoring of your eyes is also an important aspect of your eye health.