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Eye Care and Diabetes
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 People living with diabetes often find themselves multi-tasking a medley of proactive health care visits. In addition to scheduling routine examinations with their primary care physician, people trying to effectively manage their diabetes should not overlook the importance of booking an annual eye examination with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Because diabetes can cause and exacerbate eye conditions, this annual visit should include a dilated eye exam. This dilated eye exam has been proven critical for assessing the progression of glaucoma, cataracts, and retinopathy.
Discovery Health reports that eye conditions such as glaucoma, which is developed due to an increase in fluid pressure inside the eye, is 40% more likely to occur in people who have diabetes. And cataracts, caused by the clouding of the eye’s lens, are 60% more likely to occur in people who have diabetes. Sadly, those who are working to manage their diabetes are also often challenged with the development and progression of retina disorders, which can ultimately lead to blindness.
A retina disorder begins with the weakening of the eye’s blood vessels, and over time will progress into leakage of the eye’s blood vessels. Non-proliferative retinopathy is a common and mild form of retina disorder, which starts with blood vessels swelling around the retina. As the disease progresses, blood vessels can become blocked which then triggers a signal for the body to grow new blood vessels. These new blood vessels grow abnormally along the retina. This more serious and advanced condition, called proliferative retinopathy, can lead to blindness if these newly formed blood vessels leak.
The American Diabetes Association reports 12,000 to 24,000 people will lose their sight each year, due to eye conditions associated with diabetes. However, this risk can be reduced if people with diabetes seek proactive eye care, timely treatment, and appropriate follow up with their eye care professional.
People with diabetes can work to curb the progression of retinopathy by controlling their blood glucose levels, maintaining normal blood pressure levels, and quitting smoking. The length of time one has been diagnosed with having diabetes may also play a pivotal role in delaying the onset of retinopathy and effectively slowing its progression. It is recommended that if you have diabetes, you should seek the expertise of an optometrist or ophthalmologist if you notice even subtle changes in your vision. The National Eye Institute lists blurred images, red eye, seeing double, seeing spots or floaters, or having an increase in eye pressure as indicators that you should seek care immediately.
References:
Discovery Health. (2009). Diabetes and Healthy Eye Care. Retrieved from http://health.discovery.com/centers/diabetes/ada/eye-care.html
American Diabetes Association. (2009). Diabetes and Retinopathy. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/eye-complications.jsp
National Eye Institute. (2008). Diabetic Retinopathy. Retrieved from http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp
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