Eye Concerns

Damage to your blood vessels in your eyes due to Diabetes.

What are the causes?

If you have diabetes, you are in danger of having elevated blood sugar, which can damage the blood vessels in your eyes, potentially leading to diabetic retinopathy.

The damaged blood vessels may leak fluid or bleed, causing the retina to swell, and your vision to become blurred. As the disease progresses, new, fragile blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These vessels may break, releasing blood into the vitreous. They may also pull the retina away from the back of the eye. In addition, abnormal blood vessels can grow on the iris, causing glaucoma.

What are the symptoms?

Diabetic retinopathy is never painful and in fact, you may not have any symptoms at all. Occasionally, if there is fluid retention, your vision might gradually become blurred, and if there is bleeding, your vision might be spotty.

How can it be treated?

Take good care of yourself by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly to significantly reduce your risk of diabetic eye disease. And get regular eye exams to catch the disease in its early stages, facilitating treatment and preventing complications.

Serious cases of diabetic retinopathy can be treated surgically.

 

Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.