Vision problems for diabetics like diabetic retinopathy are no laughing matter.
Diabetic retinopathy is a term that describes diabetic related retinal disorders. It’s important to manage your blood sugar and insulin levels for more than one reason. They also determine your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
Not sure if you should worry about diabetic retinopathy? Keep reading to learn more about diabetic retinopathy and vison problems for diabetics!
The Relationship Between Diabetes and Blurry Vision
Blurry vision is not only a symptom of diabetic retinopathy. Blurry vision can also be a symptom of undiagnosed diabetes. This is important to know for a few reasons.
First of all, diabetic retinopathy can result in total loss of vision if left untreated. Don’t want to lose your vision? We don’t blame you!
That’s why an early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy is key. The earlier diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed, the less likely vision loss is. Besides diagnosis, treatment of diabetic retinopathy is also necessary.
In this case, blurry vision could lead to an early diagnosis of diabetes. This gives the patient and their doctor the opportunity to be proactive.
There is no way to prevent diabetic retinopathy. But there are things diabetics can do to reduce their risks of developing it! Contributing factors include blood sugar levels and insulin. There’s more than one kind of diabetic retinopathy, including:
Proliferative Retinopathy:
This condition results in blood vessels leaking into the eye.
Symptoms include:
Blurred vision, floaters or spots, and seeing glare or halos from headlights.
Macular Edema:
The macula is the part of the eye responsible for sharp central vision.
Symptoms include:
Wavy vision and seeing changes in the ways you see color. This may make the colors blue and purple indistinguishable.
Glaucoma:
This condition involves an increase in eye pressure outside of safe ranges. Diabetics are at higher risk of developing glaucoma and at a younger age than others.
Symptoms include:
loss of peripheral vision, eye pain, vomiting, nausea, seeing halos around lights.
Cataracts:
When the proteins in the eye begin to migrate to the center of the lens and clump together, it creates a cataract. This results in clouded vision and eventual vision loss if left untreated.
People with diabetes are also at a higher risk of developing cataracts than others.
Symptoms include:
Vision that seems hazy, less vibrant colors, light sensitivity and a changing prescription. You may also have vision problems that don’t improve with glasses or contacts anymore.
When Should You Call Your Doctor?
People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing vision problems. If you’re diabetic, you must see your primary care doctor regularly. You should also see your eye doctor on a regular basis for comprehensive eye exams.
These comprehensive eye exams should be dilated as well. Dilated eye exams pick up vision conditions and diseases an eye doctor may not be able to.
Can’t remember the last time you had a comprehensive eye exam? Schedule your appointment at Omaha Eye & Laser Institute in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska!
