How Diabetes Can Damage Your Eyes

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in patients between the ages of 20 and 74. Fortunately, arming our patients with the information they need can help them become better advocates of their own care and keep them involved in maintaining a great vision for the rest of their lives.

At Lakeside Eye Associates, we see a number of patients every day who are also struggling with diabetes. If you have diabetes, you probably understand how many aspects of your life the condition can affect. However, many people overlook the negative effects that diabetes can have on your ability to see properly. In fact, diabetes can also rob you of your ability to see anything. 

Diabetes can have an effect on a number of different issues associated with your eyes. This condition has been linked with blurry vision, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. Of course, diabetes that is not properly managed can have a drastic effect on the rapidity and severity of these conditions too. Managing your diabetes is something that you should monitor closely. Ensure that you attend your regular visits with your doctor to help manage your diabetes. You should also make sure that your eye doctor is aware of your diabetes and any issues that you have been having with managing the condition. 

Diabetic patients may notice that their vision can frequently change and become blurrier. If this happens to you, you might not need to rush out to immediately get new prescription lenses. Instead, check your blood sugar. High blood sugar has been linked to immediate effects in your vision. Many patients find that as soon as they get their blood sugar back into the normal range, that their vision is also restored. However, just because your vision has returned to normal, don’t just forget about it. Make sure that you let your eye doctor know what happened at your next appointment. 

Cataracts are a condition that affects the lens in your eye. Light passes through the lens and is refracted so that it focuses on the back of the eye. Cataracts are caused by cloudiness that forms within the lens and distorts your vision. While cataracts are not necessarily caused by diabetes, research has shown that patients who have diabetes can form cataracts earlier in life and that they can progress more quickly than in patients who do not have diabetes. If you think that you may have cataracts, it is important to schedule an eye appointment with Lakeside Eye Associates today. 

This condition is probably one of the scariest issues that are associated with your eyes and diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is a buildup of pressure within the internal structure of your eye. This increased pressure can force additional blood vessels to form and can damage the optic nerve in your eye. Unmanaged diabetes can cause this pressure to increase more rapidly and cause additional damage. There are a variety of different treatment options for diabetic retinopathy that include managing your diabetes, medications, and surgical procedures.However, if diabetic retinopathy is not managed and monitored, it can cause vision impairment or blindness in patients. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should consider scheduling an appointment with Lakeside Eye Associates so that we can see if there are any other issues that you should be treating. 

If you have diabetes, there are a variety of issues that you need to know about. Call Lakeside Eye Associates in Huntersville, NC today and take one of those issues off your list. Our talented and experienced staff can help you understand the issues and treatments that you should be considered to maintain your vision.