Diabetes affects nearly 39 million Americans — almost 12% of the entire population of the United States — and every one of those individuals is also at risk of developing vision complications due to their disease. Knowing how diabetes affects your eyes is a key component for ensuring you take steps to protect your eyes and reduce your risk of vision loss.
At Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts, our team helps patients manage diabetes-related vision issues with diabetic eye exams featuring evaluations to assess their risks and prevent problems. In observance of National Diabetes Month, this post is dedicated to developing an awareness and understanding of diabetic eye disease, so you can take steps to protect your own vision.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that involves a hormone called insulin that helps regulate your blood sugar (glucose). If you have diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin correctly, leading to unusually high levels of glucose in your bloodstream.
Your organs and tissues are designed to tolerate a narrow range of glucose levels. When glucose levels are elevated for a prolonged period of time, the extra glucose eventually damages tissues, leading to a host of problems, including vision problems.
In your eyes, high glucose levels damage the tiny nerves and blood vessels that keep your eyes healthy and support clear vision. Eye-related diabetes complications are so common that they’re frequently grouped under a single “nickname”: diabetic eye disease.
Diabetic eye disease comprises four primary diabetes-related eye problems: diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. This condition happens when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels located in your retina, resulting in blood leakage, swelling, and blood vessel blockages.
This condition affects the central part of your retina called the macula, the part of your eye responsible for central vision. Diabetes can cause the macula to swell, leading to vision loss that prevents you from clearly seeing faces, computer screens, or anything in your central field of vision.
Cataracts happen when the clear lens of your eye becomes cloudy, resulting in blurry vision, dim vision, glare, and difficulty seeing at night. Cataracts can happen in anyone, but they’re especially common among people with diabetes.
Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that damages the optic nerve, the nerve responsible for transmitting visual information to your brain. Glaucoma symptoms can be very subtle initially, eventually causing irreversible vision loss.
If you have diabetes, you may not be able to eliminate your risk of diabetic eye disease, but there are definitely some steps you can take to significantly reduce your risk of vision loss.
Because diabetic eye disease can cause few or subtle symptoms initially, having annual diabetic eye exams is critical for preventing vision loss over time. A diabetic eye exam includes the same screenings as a comprehensive exam, as well as evaluations to look for specific signs and symptoms of diabetes-related eye damage.
Having an updated diabetes management plan is essential for preventing diabetic eye disease and the vision loss it can cause. That means regularly visiting your diabetes doctor, adhering to a healthy lifestyle, playing a proactive role in measuring your glucose levels, and using insulin or other medication as directed.
Elevated cholesterol and hypertension can increase your risk of eye diseases and vision loss, too. Our team can help you manage your risk of diabetic eye disease with therapies focused on lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels to benefit your eye health and your overall wellness, too.
In addition to medications and regular exams, healthy lifestyle changes can improve eye health and reduce the risk of vision problems. Regular exercise, following a healthy eating plan, getting plenty of sleep, and dropping extra pounds are all important steps to protect your eyes and the rest of your body.
If you have diabetes, regular eye exams are critical for preventing permanent vision loss. To schedule your exam, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts in Bellmore and Great Neck, New York, today.
