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| Eye Issue | Diabetes affects almost all structures of the eye, but it is vital to know that some conditions found in people with diabetes are not a sign that eye disease will develop into permanent vision loss or blindness.
For instance, lots of people have blurred vision in the early stages of diabetes. This blurred vision is induced by fluid seeping into the lens of the eye and provoking the lens to swell, altering its shape and changing its ability to focus appropriately. Once diabetes treatment begins and blood glucose is under control, the lens recommences its normal shape and vision improves.
Blurred vision also can happen early in insulin treatment or with changeable blood glucose levels. Again, fluids in the body are changing, and fluid may enter or leave the lens. If you have this condition, be tolerant. The condition is not enduring and usually lasts only a few days or weeks. As you get control of your diabetes and blood glucose moves closer to normal, your vision should get better. So, unless you are really having functional difficulty because of poor vision, it is usually recommended that you wait until your blood glucose level settles and your vision stabilizes before getting or changing an eyeglass prescription.
Some eye problems you may experience can happen to anyone, even to people without diabetes. For instance, you might look into a mirror and see a bright red, pie-shaped wedge in the white of your eye. This is known as subconjunctival hemorrhage. It happens when a tiny blood vessel somehow breaks beneath the clear outside covering of the eyeball. This condition is not induced by diabetes – anyone can have it. It is a minor problem, and if left alone, usually vanishes with in a week.
Correspondingly, anyone can get glaucoma, which is provoked by too much pressure in the eye; this pressure injuries your eye’s main nerve – the optic nerve. In actual fact, everyone past age 40 is at risk for glaucoma. Nevertheless, a person with diabetes is twice as likely to get glaucoma as other adults. As a rule, glaucoma causes no symptoms, but in some cases, people experience vision loss or see bright haloes or colored rings around light. An ophthalmologist or optometrist can diagnose glaucoma by measuring eye pressure and with other simple tests. If detected, glaucoma can be cured with prescription eye drops that cause proper fluid exchange or with laser treatments or other surgery if necessary. Left untreated, glaucoma can progress and cause irreversible eye damage.
One more problem that anyone can develop is cataracts, a condition in which the lens of the eye turns out to be clouded, blocking the transmission of light. This problem usually occurs with advancing age, and everyone is at risk. People with diabetes, though, are more likely to develop cataracts at a younger age. Poor diabetes control can accelerate the process of developing cataracts. Eye doctors can cure cataracts with surgery. Habitually, patients have worn thick eyeglasses or contact lenses that help the eye focus after surgery. Nowadays doctors routinely insert artificial lenses within the eye.
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