Diabetic Eye Diseases Problems
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What eye diseases affect people with diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic ailment that ultimately affects the blood vessels that bring oxygen to all body tissues. The most affected organs are usually the kidneys and eyes. 80% of diabetics develop one of the following eye diseases 10 years after being diagnosed:
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
They usually result from improper diabetic control, and can be prevented by monitoring and keeping your blood glucose in check.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is a common eye disease, and an important cause of blindness in diabetic adults. The retinal blood vessels are affected and leak fluid, causing a proliferative or nonproliferative retinopathy depending on whether or not new blood vessels are formed on the retina.
In the early phase or retinopathy, you might not feel a significant visual impairment. That’s why it advances and causes severe visual problems on the long-term. Thus, all diabetics should have regular eye exams, even if they do not feel any visual problem. Blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol level control can also reduce the risk of retinopathy.
With our current medical technology, the vast majority of patients with diabetic retinopathy will not progress into severe visual impairments. So, contact your doctor if you experience one of these symptoms:
- Blurriness
- Difficulty to perceive colors
- Floating spots in your visual field
- Darker areas in your visual field
Macular Edema
In macular edema, the blood vessels of the retina leak plasma and fluid and cause swelling of the eye. This is associated with the following symptoms:
- Blurred vision located at the center of the visual field
- Difficulty to read
- Difficulty to distinguish colors
These symptoms can improve with laser treatments, by directing laser light to the trouble areas to seal the damaged blood vessels and prevent further leaking. This also reduces the formation of new blood vessels and the risk of retinal detachment. It should be considered as an option in the early phase of the disease to prevent future cases of severe visual impairment.
Cataracts
Cataracts are caused by cloudiness of the eye lenses. It often causes these symptoms:
- Blurred vision
- Fading or yellowish color perception
- Reduced visual acuity at night
- A higher sensitivity to lights or glare
- Constant changes in eyeglasses prescription
The problem is usually progressive and worsens as we age. However, there are cataract surgeries that remove the damaged lenses, replacing them for an artificial lens that immediately solves the problem.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma results due to the eye’s lack of ability to drain natural fluid and putting too much pressure on the inside of the eye. This can lead to pain and blurred vision as the blood vessels and surrounding nerves in the eye become compressed. The most proliferate form of glaucoma is open-angle glaucoma, which can be treated with medication so that the eye can properly drain and can alleviate the pressure. This type of glaucoma typically has no symptoms until significant vision loss has occurred as it develops slowly.
Who is at a higher risk of diabetic eye disease?
All diabetics are at risk of diabetic eye disease. Thus, it is recommended to undergo an annual eye examination, especially when there is poorer blood sugar control. The longer time you have with the diagnosis, the higher your risk will be, and eye exams should begin as soon as you’re diagnosed or 5 years after diagnosing the disease in the case of type 1 diabetes diagnosed in children.
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