People with diabetes have a lot to manage when it comes to their overall health. Diabetes can play a critical role in your long-term eye health, so it’s important to protect your most precious sense.

Almost 1 in 3 Australians with diabetes have some form of diabetes-related eye disease. Education and awareness around diabetes and eye health are important. Unfortunately, some eye diseases develop so gradually that a person may not experience any symptoms or changes in their vision until significant damage has occurred.

Eye health is a specialised area and requires an optometrist or ophthalmologist to assess your eyes. Luckily, the expert and caring team in Carlingford can help you manage your eye health and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications.

How does diabetes affect your eyes?

When people with diabetes experience hyperglycaemia, which means too much sugar in the blood, the excess sugar can have a damaging effect on cells and blood vessels, including the microscopic blood vessels in the eyes.

In the short term, hyperglycaemia can cause blurred vision. This may improve when blood glucose levels return to normal.

However, over time, the tiny blood vessels in the eyes can be permanently damaged by hyperglycaemia, causing the vessels to leak fluid or swell and potentially damaging important parts of the eye.

Hyperglycaemia and diabetes-related complications can increase the risk of a number of eye diseases, including those listed below.

Diabetic retinopathy

Did you know that diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common cause of vision loss and blindness in people with diabetes?

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when blood vessels in the retina, at the back of the eye, are damaged as a complication of diabetes. These damaged blood vessels can lead to bleeding in the eye, abnormal blood vessel growth and the formation of fibrous tissue.

There are four stages of diabetic retinopathy, with each stage becoming progressively more severe. Diabetic retinopathy can occur regardless of the type of diabetes you have, your age or how well you manage your diabetes.

Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy

Some symptoms of diabetic retinopathy may include:

• Blurred, distorted or patchy vision
• Problems with balance, reading, watching television or recognising people
• Increased sensitivity to glare
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Eye strain

It’s important for people with diabetes to have regular eye checks so that signs of diabetic retinopathy can be detected and managed as early as possible. If you notice any changes in your vision, contact your optometrist.

Diabetic macular oedema

Diabetic macular oedema (DME) is a complication of diabetic retinopathy in which fluid leaking from damaged blood vessels causes the macula to swell. The macula is part of the retina and is responsible for detailed central vision. DME can affect central vision, with excess fluid in the macula causing blurred vision and making it difficult to see fine details, such as when reading or recognising people’s faces.

Retinal detachment

As diabetic retinopathy progresses, the risk of retinal detachment can increase. Abnormal blood vessel growth and scar tissue associated with advanced diabetic retinopathy can pull on the retina and cause it to detach from the back of the eye.

Retinal detachment is a serious medical emergency and requires urgent treatment to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions in which the optic nerve is damaged, potentially leading to permanent vision loss. The optic nerve carries visual information from your eyes to your brain. People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing glaucoma.

Several types of glaucoma can affect people with diabetes, including open-angle glaucoma and neovascular glaucoma.

Some symptoms may include:

• Eye strain and headaches
• Eye redness
• Blurred vision
• Halos around lights

Some forms of glaucoma develop gradually and may not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages, which is why regular eye examinations are so important.

Cataracts

High blood glucose levels can contribute to changes in the lens of the eye. The lenses of our eyes naturally become cloudier as we age, but people with diabetes are more likely to develop cloudy lenses, formally known as cataracts, at an earlier age. If you start to experience cloudy or blurred vision, see an optometrist as soon as possible.

Things to remember about diabetes and eye health

Diabetes can significantly increase the risk of a range of eye diseases. Regardless of your age, symptoms or how well your diabetes is managed, there are several important things you can do to help reduce your risk of permanent vision loss:

• Have your eyes checked regularly, at least every two years, to detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases.
• Manage your blood glucose levels.
• Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• If you notice changes in your vision, seek advice from your optometrist.

The team at Sparks & Feros Optometrists can help you manage your diabetes-related eye health. Book an appointment today by calling us on 02 9872 1555 or booking online.