Diabetic Eye

Diabetic eye

Causes

Diabetes can cause diabetic retinopathy, which is an eye disease. It can lead to severe vision loss or even blindness.

It is most common in people with diabetes who do not have good blood sugar control. Blood vessels in the retina are damaged by high blood sugar levels.

Swelling results from the leakage of these damaged blood vessels.

Abnormal new blood vessels may begin to grow on the retina as the disease progresses. They are delicate and frequently bleed inside your eye or cause scarring.

Symptoms

Diabetic retinopathy can go undetected for a long time. In its early stages, it often has no symptoms.

As the disease progresses and symptoms appear, you may notice the following:

• blurry vision
• dark floaters
• difficulty seeing things in the center of your focus
• color recognition issues.
  
  

Prevention

You can take steps to prevent diabetes-related vision loss:

• Maintain a healthy blood sugar level. The goal for blood sugar level is 80-130 mg/dL before meals. Less than 180 mg/dL two hours after meals.
• Maintain control of your hypertension. The treatment goal for blood pressure is < 140/90 mmHg.
• Maintaining normal cholesterol levels and treating kidney problems may also be necessary.
  
  

Even if you don't have any vision problems, you should get regular eye exams. During the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, the majority of people have no symptoms. This is when treatment is most effective. According to the American Diabetes Association:

• People with type 1 diabetes should get an eye exam within five years of being diagnosed.
• You should get your first eye exam as soon as possible after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
  
  

Treatment

Keep your blood sugar and blood pressure levels within the target range to prevent the condition from worsening.

Other diabetic retinopathy treatments include:

• medicines injected into your eye to help reduce swelling and slow vision loss
• laser surgery to destroy abnormal blood vessels in the retina
• surgery to remove blood leaked inside your eye.