Living with diabetes comes with a series of health challenges that need to be factored into every day. However, one aspect often overlooked is its effect on your eyes. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels inside the eyes and cause a host of vision problems, but can diabetic eye problems be reversed?
If diabetes damages the eye to the point where you start losing vision, this is permanent. This is why it’s important to be proactive and manage your condition where possible.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that primarily affects how your body turns food into energy. When you eat, your body breaks down the food into sugar, or glucose, entering the bloodstream. Insulin—a hormone produced in the pancreas—helps your body use this glucose for energy. However, diabetes disrupts this process and alters how your body processes these sugars.
There are 2 types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes, where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin.
- Type 2 diabetes, where the body can’t effectively use the insulin being produced or can’t produce enough insulin.
When a person is living with diabetes, they need to monitor their blood sugar to make sure their levels are in a safe range. If blood sugar is too high for too long, it can damage the delicate blood vessels throughout the body, especially in sensitive areas like the eyes.
How Does Diabetes Affect the Eyes?
One of the most significant ways diabetes impacts eye health is through a condition known as diabetic retinopathy. This occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the retina, the part of the eye that detects light and sends signals to your brain.
Soon, these damaged blood vessels can swell, leak, or close off entirely, preventing blood from passing through. The released fluids can also obstruct light as it enters the eye while simultaneously causing further damage to the retina. The result is a wide range of vision issues that can significantly impair your everyday life.
In some extreme cases, new blood vessels develop on the surface of the retina. However, the new vessels are weak and more prone to leaking, starting to break down and causing vision problems.
The Early Signs of Diabetic Retinopathy
Early detection is critical in managing diabetic retinopathy. In its earliest stages, this condition rarely presents any symptoms but eventually progresses to the point where it causes permanent vision damage.
The early signs of diabetic retinopathy include:
- Blurred vision
- Floaters or dark spots in your field of vision
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s essential to contact your optometrist as soon as possible. Early intervention is key to managing the effects of this condition, and it plays an important role in preventing further deterioration of your vision.
Is Diabetic Retinopathy Permanent?
Unfortunately, vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy is irreversible. The retina can’t regenerate, and any damaged blood vessels will remain. This means that it’s essential to manage your diabetes however you can to prevent any permanent damage and preserve your vision.
If you’re living with diabetes, it helps to:
- Schedule diabetic eye examinations at least once a year. This allows your optometrist to monitor any changes occurring on your retina and detect any early signs of complications.
- Keep your blood sugar levels in check through regular monitoring. You should also work with your primary healthcare provider to stay within a targeted range.
- Follow a balanced diet rich in whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. It helps to limit your intake of sugar and carbohydrates as well.
- Exercise a few times per week. This can help you maintain a healthy weight and improve your body’s insulin sensitivity.
- Avoid tobacco at all costs. Smoking can significantly increase the risk of all kinds of eye conditions and can cause further damage to the blood vessels inside the eye.
These steps can help lower your risk of diabetic retinopathy. Remember—your vision is precious, and it should be protected at all costs.
Book a Diabetic Eye Exam Today
Your vision is too precious to ignore, and it’s important that you never leave problems like diabetes unaddressed. If you or a loved one is living with diabetes, make it a priority to schedule regular diabetic eye exams with our team at Flamborough Family Eyecare. Contact our team today to book an appointment, and let’s work together to safeguard your vision. You deserve quality care, and we’re here to help!
