Caring for Your Eye Health When You Have Diabetes

When you’re living with diabetes, it’s important to care for your whole health, and that includes your vision. One of the most common complications of diabetes is eye disease.

Common Eye Problems with Diabetes

There are several types of eye disease that can be caused by diabetes:

• Diabetic retinopathy: Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage the walls of the blood vessels in the retina, the part of the eye that enables vision. This causes the blood vessels to swell and become blocked. New and weaker blood vessels may form that tend to rupture and bleed. This is the leading cause of blindness in American adults.
• Diabetic macular edema: This happens when fluid causes tiny blood vessels in the retina to leak. This leads to swelling and blurry vision, and it can lead to permanent vision loss.
• Cataracts: High blood sugar can cause structural changes to the lens of the eye, making vision cloudy. Cataracts are common as we age, but they can occur at an earlier age for people with diabetes.
• Glaucoma: Diabetes doubles the risk of developing glaucoma, a build-up of pressure in the eye. Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerve and can lead to permanent vision loss.

You may have an increased risk of developing eye disease if you have had diabetes for a long time, have long-term uncontrolled high blood sugar (glucose) levels, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and other health conditions.

Signs of Diabetic Eye Disease

In the early stages of eye disease, there may not be obvious symptoms. But catching it early can help protect your vision.

That’s why it’s important to see an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) regularly. Early signs of eye disease can be picked up through diabetic eye screening.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends getting a dilated eye exam:

• For people with type 1 diabetes: Within 5 years of diagnosis, then every 1 to 2 years after that
• For people with type 2 diabetes: When diagnosed, then every 1 to 2 years after that
• For people with eye disease: At least once per year, as directed by your doctor

What Is a Dilated Eye Exam?

A dilated eye exam involves using eye drops to dilate (widen) your pupil so the doctor can look for signs of change in the back of your eyes. The doctor will also look for signs of damage to the inner and outer parts of your eyes.

Detecting changes early on allows for changes in lifestyle and/or treatment that may stop eye diseases from getting worse.

Symptoms to Look Out For

Symptoms such as pain and vision disturbances may appear as the damage progresses. Contact your doctor or diabetes care team immediately if you experience:

• Gradually worsening vision
• Sudden vision loss
• Shapes floating in your field of vision (floaters)
• Blurred, cloudy, wavy, or patchy vision
• Seeing double in one eye
• Seeing halos around lights
• Sensitivity to light
• Trouble seeing well at night
• Eye redness or pain
• Sharp-pain headaches
• Colors looking faded or washed out

How to Reduce Your Risk of Diabetic Eye Disease

There are some ways you can reduce your risk of developing diabetic eye disease:

• Keep a healthy, balanced diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Get regular exercise
• Don’t smoke
• Take your prescribed medication as recommend
• Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control
• Check and manage your blood glucose and A1C
• Get annual eye exams, even if you think your diabetes is well controlled.

Even if you develop eye disease, you can likely slow or stop deterioration. Be sure to care for your health, follow a healthy lifestyle, and see your diabetes care provider and eye doctor regularly.