Diabetes vs. Your Vision
By: Hannah Eaglen | Brand Manager
1 in every 10 Americans has a form of diabetes. Yet, many people don’t know the negative effects that diabetes can have on your visual health. It is so important to be proactive in protecting the health of your eyes in order to maintain visual freedom. At the end of the day, you only have one vision, so why not protect it?
Does Diabetes affect your vision?
The quick answer to this question is yes, diabetes can affect the function and health of your eyes. Diabetes is a disease that causes your body to not respond to or create insulin. Insulin is the hormone present in our bodies that breaks down and delivers sugar and glucose. So, when sugar is not broken down properly and delivered effectively throughout your body, blood vessels everywhere (including your eyes) become blocked. In order to combat the blocking of these important blood vessels, your eyes will begin to forcefully grow new blood vessels that will not perform at the level of your old ones, causing blurred vision, and possible bleeding of the retinal blood vessels which can lead to a multitude of eye diseases and complications.
What eye diseases can Diabetes lead to?
Diabetic Retinopathy- As previously mentioned, diabetes affects the blood vessels in the retina. This can lead to diabetic retinopathy which is an eye condition that typically causes vision loss and blindness in those with diabetes. During the early stages of diabetic retinopathy development, most people don’t notice any symptoms. However, as the disease progresses, you may experience dark floating spots or streaks that look like cobwebs in your eye. If this occurs, it is important to seek treatment right away in order to prevent further damage and scarring.
Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)- Studies show that about half of the patients with diabetic retinopathy will develop DME. This occurs when blood vessels in the retina leak fluid, which will cause swelling in the macula. This, in turn, produces an increase of blurry vision.
Cataracts- Did you know that those with diabetes are 2-5 times more likely to develop cataracts at an earlier age? A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye. It develops slowly so many people don’t notice the symptoms at first, however, in time cataracts will cause blurry, hazy, and less colorful vision.
Open-Angle Glaucoma (OAG)- Studies have shown that having diabetes doubles your risk of developing open-angle glaucoma. OAG is a common type of glaucoma that causes people to experience vision loss due to pressure build up in the eye. This pressure damages your optic nerve, affecting your vision.
How can you protect your vision health?
If you have diabetes, it is very important for you to get a comprehensive eye exam annually. Being proactive is the key, because although you may not notice the early symptoms of some of these diseases, early diagnosis is critical to ensuring visual safety. Once diagnosed by a doctor, they will be able to educate you on the options available for these specific visual diseases in order to prevent further damage and symptoms. Most of these issues can be solved with medication or laser vision surgery. You can also do your part to prioritize your eye safety by staying physically active, eating healthy, and taking any relevant medication prescribed. You only have one vision, so it is important to protect it!
