Focusing on Diabetic Eye Disease

Complications arising from diabetes can put sufferers at increased risk of developing several vision-related conditions. These conditions include cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, plus a number of other conditions that may worsen your vision.

Diabetic retinopathy, which occurs when high blood glucose levels cause damage to the retina. It's also an extremely common cause of blindness in adults.

A very familiar result of old age, cataracts, which cause vision impairment due to the clouding of the eyeí´s lens, tend to develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes.

Your odds of developing glaucoma, another condition that can result in loss of vision, double when you suffer from diabetes. Glaucoma is characterized by optic nerve damage, and this can lead to loss of vision. If glaucoma isn't properly dealt with, the vision loss can be irreparable.

All individuals with diabetes, type 1 or 2, are at a higher chance of developing diabetic eye disease, even more so if their diabetes isn't properly treated. Other risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor diet and exercise, and smoking.

Due to the nature of the condition, symptoms of diabetic eye diseases generally vary with blood sugar levels. These generally include:

• Blurry or distorted vision that may fluctuate
• Blind spots or floaters
• Double vision
• Eye Pain
• Scotoma
• Problems with near vision
• Corneal abrasions

It's really important to be aware that diabetic eye disease can develop before symptoms are noticed.

Early detection can mean the difference between retaining and losing sight, and is often a prerequisite for avoiding subsequent vision loss and recovery of sight, if possible. For this reason, people with diabetes need to have a yearly eye exam to keep tabs on their eye health. If you or a loved one have diabetes, make sure you are informed about the risks and prevention of diabetic eye disease. Annual eye exams, and proper preventative measures, can make the difference between losing vision and seeing well for years to come.