Looking after your eyes -

Looking after your eyes

Diabetes and your eyes

One of the possible symptoms of diabetes is worsening eyesight. When your diabetes was first diagnosed, you may have been experiencing blurred vision. This is caused by high blood sugar levels.

If your eyesight has worsened, remember it’s not appropriate to change your glasses prescription until your blood sugar is stabilised. The prescription will continue to change until the diabetes is under control.

You can limit eye complications by keeping your blood sugar within your target range.

You probably won’t notice the early changes to your eyesight. However, it’s important to detect eye problems early when they can be more easily treated. This is why you should have yearly check-ups so your eyes can be monitored and treated early if there are any problems.

How can diabetes affect the eyes?

When diabetes affects the small blood vessels supplying the back of the eye (the retina), your vision can be affected.

Cataracts and glaucoma, two eye conditions, are more likely when you have diabetes.

The retina

The retina can be compared to a camera film. It’s the part of the eye where the picture of the surrounding world is generated.

The small blood vessels, which feed the retina, are usually affected by diabetes. In the early stages, small vessels may become damaged and leak. When this happens, a doctor or optician will be able to see these small bleeds when examining the eyes.

As the disease progresses, some parts of the eye are left without enough blood supply. Over time, new vessels develop to overcome this, but they are fragile and tend to bleed.

If retinal disease is not detected and treated early, the retina can actually come away from the back of the eye (known as a detached retina), and vision is lost completely.

Checking the retina

Your doctor will often look at the retina with a device called an ophthalmoscope. You will have your pupils dilated with special drops. This is the best way to look at the blood vessels. In addition to this, photographs of the retina may be taken to ensure problems are detected and treated as soon as possible.

Treating disease of the retina

Early disease of the retina can be treated using lasers. More advanced disease sometimes requires surgery.

Cataracts

Clouding of the lens of the eye, known as cataracts, may make you feel like you are looking at the world through frosted glass. People with diabetes may develop cataracts earlier than those without it.

The development of a cataract can be monitored, and you may be prescribed a change in glasses to maintain good vision.

If your cataract interferes with daily activities, you can be referred to an eye surgeon who may recommend outpatient surgery. During surgery, the eye's natural lens is removed and usually replaced with a lens implant. Other options are contact lenses or "cataract" glasses.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the passages that allow fluid in the eye to drain become blocked. For some people, the only symptom may be intermittent headaches, so it is important to have regular eye examinations in order to detect glaucoma early.

People who know they are at risk of developing glaucoma should have annual eye examinations. Glaucoma cannot be prevented but, if diagnosed and treated early, it can be controlled.

Glaucoma is generally treated with eye drops or pills that lower the pressure inside the eye. In some cases, laser treatment or surgery may be effective in reducing eye pressure.

Looking after your eyes: A summary

High blood sugar levels can cause blurred vision
Diabetes can lead to eye disease as a long-term complication
Early damage is easy to miss, so regular eye checks are important
Diabetes can:
- Affect the blood vessels in the retina, leading to retinal damage
- Lead to the development of cataracts
- Lead to the development of glaucoma.
If untreated, these conditions can lead to blindness
There are treatments available if the conditions are detected early.