Diabetes And Your Vision

Whenever a family member or a friend tells me he or she is diagnosed to have diabetes, this becomes an immediate concern to me. That's because diabetes places everyone at a higher risk of heart disease, nerve damage, kidney problems and even Alzheimer's. But there's another health threat many of them find surprising.

You see, diabetes is also the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S.

This is a real problem. It's something your primary healthcare provider doesn't look for. They don't test for it either. In fact, many of them won't even warn you about it.

The truth is, only about half of Americans who have vision loss are even aware it could be linked to diabetes. Even fewer have ever been told by their doctors that diabetes might be affecting their eyesight.

This is frightening news. Your eyesight means everything to your independence. It's the difference between being able to read, drive and work as long as you want – or counting on others to "be your eyes."

When your vision is impaired, normal activities can become challenging. Even things that used to be fun can turn into a chore. And it's not just a case of correcting your vision with reading glasses or prescription lenses.

Let me explain the role blood sugar has on your eyesight.

If you're diabetic and don't take appropriate measures to control your blood sugar, it can change the structure and function of blood vessels throughout your body… but especially the ones in your eyes.

This can result in a condition called diabetic retinopathy.

In a nutshell, the small blood vessels that nourish your retinas weaken and break down. They start leaking blood and other fluids that make things look blurry. You might even see dark spots or blank areas in your vision.

If left unchecked, this can progress into something called diabetic macular edema (DME). This occurs when those retinal blood vessels start leaking fluid into the macula. These leaks cause the macula to swell and thicken – and can severely affect your central vision.

In the early stages, it's easy to shrug off these vision changes to a normal part of aging. You might even spend a few bucks on reading glasses, hoping to find just the right lens to reduce the blur. I find a lot of my patients try going this route instead of visiting their eye doctor.

But if you're diabetic, it's absolutely essential to get a proper eye exam every year, even if your vision hasn't been affected yet. That's because the earlier you catch any signs of damage, the better your chances of saving your eyesight.

To be cont'd.

Have a great day.