Can Diabetes affect your Eyes?

Diabetes is a condition that is caused when glucose levels inside the body turn out to be too high and can influence every individual. There are various side-effects of having diabetes and it is a condition that ought to be considered important and checked intently. Taking care of your eyes when you have diabetes is important as having the condition can cause many eye issues, which if not taken care of effectively, can cause deterioration and potentially irreversible eye damage.
1. Diabetic Retinopathy
It is the most commonly known complication of having diabetes and must be taken seriously as it can lead to blindness. This can affects the retina. Diabetic Retinopathy is caused when the small blood vessels on your retina become blocked, leak or grows abnormality due to the high blood sugar levels. Diabetic Maculopathy, Background diabetic retinopathy, and Proliferative diabetic retinopathy are three types of diabetic retinopathy.
2. Cataracts
People suffering from diabetes can develop cataracts earlier and faster, mainly caused by the eyes aging, becoming cloudy and more rigid. The symptoms tend to be more blurred vision and glare or halos, especially at night time. The cataracts are removed by cataract surgery and in its place, an artificial intraocular lens is implanted to restore vision.
3. Glaucoma
It is caused by an increase in the eye’s pressure. It develops when the eye’s fluid cannot be drained as normal. This can then cause damage to the blood vessels and nerves within the eye leading to impaired vision, and if not treated correctly can also cause blindness. If you are suffering from diabetics, then chances of neovascular glaucoma are more. It is caused when new blood vessels develop and grow on the iris, and this blocks the normal flow of eye fluid and in turn, increase the eye’s internal pressure. While the regular types of glaucoma can be treated with eye drops and by surgery if needed.

4. Blurred Vision
If a person is suffering from diabetes, then blurred vision could be caused by your blood sugar levels. The high blood sugar levels can cause the lens within your eye to swell, which gives a blurry vision effect. For treatment, you must control your blood sugar level; it may take a few months for the blurred vision to disappear. If not so, then consult your doctor to make sure it is nothing more serious.