Diabetes can cause damage to the eyes! And that is why visiting an eye doctor is essential for diabetic patients. It can help prevent temporary or permanent loss of vision. But what are some of the common eye problems caused by diabetes? What are the symptoms, and what treatment options are open to diabetic patients? You’ll have to read on to find out!

Eye Diseases Caused By Diabetes

1. Diabetic Retinopathy – This happens when diabetes causes damage to the blood vessels of the retina.
2. Cataract – This condition results in the cloudiness of the eye lens.
3. Glaucoma – This occurs when there is increased pressure in the eye. This increased pressure can lead to blindness.
4. Macular Edema – Fluid leaking into the retina area can lead to blurry vision.
5. Retinal Detachment – This might make part of the retina detach from the back of the eyeball.

Additionally, rapid changes in blood sugar level or high blood sugar can lead to blurred vision.

Symptoms Of Diabetic Eye Disease

Unfortunately, eye problems from diabetes usually show no symptoms until they become severe. This is because damages to the retina can happen even before vision impairment. Symptoms to watch out for include:

• Blurred vision
• Trouble seeing at night
• Slow vision loss with time

Exams And Tests

An eye doctor will examine your eyes by performing different tests. Patients might be asked to read an eye chart. After that, eye drops may be administered to widen the pupils of the eyes Pupil dilation is performed to purposefully increase the size of the pupils during an eye exam so that the eye doctor can fully examine the health of the optic nerve and retina. Other tests might involve:

• Tonometry
• Slit Lamp Exam
• Fluorescent Angiography

Treatment

Patients with early retinopathy may not need immediate treatment. However, they must schedule regular visits with an eye doctor that specializes in treating diabetic eye diseases. But if the doctor notices that you’ve started to have macular edema, treatment will be recommended. Generally, eye surgery is the primary treatment for diabetic retinopathy. In addition, medicines might be prescribed.

Conclusion

If you or a loved one has diabetes, it is critical to follow the advice of your eye doctor! Be sure to have regularly scheduled eye examinations. Need further information? Consult The Eye Center today!