Seeing is Believing...Diabetes and Eye Damage

Diabetes is in itself a potentially devastating disease that can cause many problems. One of those problems is damage to the eyes and eventual blindness. Many consider eyesight to be one of the most precious resources in life. This makes it very important for diabetics to take special precautions when it comes to their eyes.

There are four areas of the eye to which diabetes can cause damage. The retina, the vitreous, the lens and the optic nerve are the areas of the eye that diabetes can target. The retina is the lining in the back of the eye and is responsible for sensing light. The jelly-like substance in the back of the eye is the vitreous, which is responsible for providing cushion to the eye as well as an unobstructed path for light to travel to the retina. The lens is the front part of the eye and its responsibility is focusing light onto the retina. The optic nerve is the nerve that connects the eye to the brain.

The most common eye problem caused by diabetes is diabetic retinopathy. This occurs when the tiny blood vessels within the retina become damaged because of high levels of blood glucose and high blood pressure. Diabetic retinopathy can take a long time to develop and your eyesight may not be affected during its early stages.

Retina problems caused by diabetes may get progressively worse. This will cause new blood vessels in the retina to develop. These are weak and will tend to leak blood into the vitreous. This will then prevent light from reaching the retina. Over time, this will cause scar tissue to develop and may separate the retina from the eye. This is an urgent situation and must be taken care of immediately to prevent permanent blindness.

Unfortunately, people with diabetes that suffer damage to the retina may not experience signs or symptoms. Sometimes signs will be present and those include blurry vision, double vision, blank spots, floaters, pain or pressure, and problems with peripheral vision.

There are a couple of treatment options available for diabetics with problems of the retina. Laser treatment can be performed which will close off blood vessels that are leaking. Another procedure called vitrectomy is where a doctor removes the blood-laden fluid in the vitreous and replaces it with clean fluid.

While cataracts and glaucoma are common diseases among the population in general, people with diabetes have higher occurrences and they tend to develop in diabetics at a younger age.

Prevention of eye problems for people with diabetes is similar to prevention of other problems associated with diabetes. It is very important to keep blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible through proper diet and exercise. It's also essential to monitor blood pressure closely and take any blood pressure medication as prescribed by the doctor. Having an annual exam from an eye doctor is very important for diabetics, even if the person is experiencing no problems with eyesight. The doctor should be aware that the person has diabetes. The doctor will need to dilate the eyes in order to see the back of the eyes and also run tests for cataracts and glaucoma.