Everything You Need To Know About Diabetic Eye Issues
The number of cases of diabetic eye issues continues to rise in Canada. In fact, it is estimated that more than 500,000 Canadians experience vision loss due to diabetes, making it the leading cause of blindness among adults.
One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of developing diabetes-related vision loss is through regular visits to the eye doctor to monitor your health. Let’s look closer at what causes diabetes and how you can prevent it from seriously impacting your vision.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when your body is unable to make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it does produce. This can cause changes in blood sugar levels that can lead to more serious health conditions such as vision loss and eye disease.
There are three types of diabetes:
Type 1: An auto-immune reaction that causes the body to stop producing insulin. Patients diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes will have to take insulin for the rest of their lives.
Type 2: Usually caused by poor diet, inactivity, and obesity. Patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes can often control or cure their diabetes with proper diet and exercise.
Gestational Diabetes: This develops in pregnant women and usually goes away following birth.
How does diabetes affect your eyes?
Like in other parts of the body, too much sugar can cause damage to the blood vessels in your eyes. This includes those at the back of the eye in the retina. If you experience blurred vision, diabetes could be the reason, as excessive sugar levels can cause the blood vessels to leak. Diabetes can also lead to serious eye damage and even blindness if left undiagnosed, untreated, and uncontrolled.
What are the symptoms of diabetes-related vision loss?
Patients often associate vision loss with age rather than underlying health conditions. This is why it is important to get regular eye exams. Your eye doctor can identify several health issues when examining your eyes including heart disease, some forms of cancer, and diabetes.
The most common symptoms associated with diabetic eye issues include:
● Blurred vision
● Sudden or sporadic loss of vision
● Spots in vision
● Flashes of light or difficulty focusing in bright light
● Floaters in the eye
● Poor night vision
Your eye doctor will review your medical history as well as discuss any possible hereditary health problems. This will help them to better evaluate your risk for developing vision problems related to diabetes. A diabetic eye exam can help identify vision loss sooner and even prevent further progression of this eye disease.
During this assessment, your eye doctor will use advanced ocular imaging to see the back of the eye in order to diagnose you and determine the level of damage that has occurred. This technology is used to diagnose several other eye health issues too such as glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration, and hypertension.
Once your eye doctor has made a diagnosis they can begin developing a treatment plan tailored around your eyecare needs.
How to prevent diabetic retinopathy
One of the first recommendations your general doctor may have to reduce or prevent diabetic retinopathy include:
● Improved diet and exercise
● Reducing cholesterol levels
● Quitting smoking
● Reducing blood pressure
● Medication to control blood sugar levels
These simple changes in diet and lifestyle can have a tremendous impact on the progression and severity of your diabetic retinopathy. Early detection is also key to ensure that your vision issues do not progress further.
Book an eye exam
If you think you are experiencing the symptoms and suspect you may have diabetes, why not contact our independent eye doctors to arrange an eye exam? We are proud to partner with independent optometrists in Whitby and Bowmanville, ON at Durham Optometric Clinic next to our store locations.
Here at Vision Advantage Optical, our licensed opticians in Whitby and Bowmanville would also be happy to help you find the right pair of glasses to help improve your vision if you require them. Contact us today at either of our locations to speak to one of our friendly team.
