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| Diabetes
and the Eyes |
Diabetes, a disease that prevents your body from making or using insulin to break
down sugar in your bloodstream, can affect your eyes and your vision. Fluctuating or blurring
of vision, intermittent double vision, loss of peripheral
vision and flashes and floaters within the eyes may be symptoms
related to diabetes. Sometimes the early signs of diabetes
are detected during a thorough eye examination. Diabetes
can cause changes in nearsightedness and farsightedness and
lead to premature presbyopia (the inability to focus on close
objects). It can result in cataracts, glaucoma, a lack of
eye muscle coordination (strabismus) and decreased corneal
sensitivity. The most serious eye problem associated with
diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, which, if not controlled,
can lead to blindness.
What
is retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when there is a weakening
or swelling of the tiny blood vessels in the retina of
your eye, resulting in blood leakage, the growth of new
blood vessels and other changes
Can
vision loss from diabetes be prevented?
Yes, in a routine eye examination, your eye care
practitioner can diagnose potential vision-threatening
changes in your eyes that may be treated to prevent
blindness. However, once damage has occurred, the
effects are usually permanent. It is important to
control your diabetes as much as possible to minimize
the risk of developing retinopathy.
How
is diabetic retinopathy treated?
In the early stages, diabetic retinopathy can
be treated with laser therapy. A bright beam
of light is focused on the retina, causing a
burn that seals off leaking blood vessels. In
other cases, surgery inside the eye may be necessary.
Early detection of diabetic retinopathy is crucial.
It is routinely screened for in an eye examination.
Are
there risk factors for developing retinopathy?
Several factors that increase the risk of developing
retinopathy include smoking, high blood pressure,
excessive alcohol intake and pregnancy. How can diabetes-related
eye problems be prevented?
Diabetes-related eye problems can be prevented by monitoring
and maintaining control of your diabetes. See your physician
regularly and follow instructions about diet, exercise and
medication. A thorough eye examination when first diagnosed
as a diabetic, at least annually thereafter, is recommended. |
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