Diabetes is a condition that affects many areas within the body such as the eyes. Regular eye exams will help to identify the early signs of eye issues and help protect the eyesight of a patient. Therefore, it’s advised for those with diabetes to undergo an eye examination at least every year.
The condition of diabetes affects the body’s capacity to regulate and store blood sugar levels. This means that blood glucose levels can fluctuate. This could lead to a rise in blood sugar levels, which could harm the small blood vessels within the eye. This can lead to problems with vision, including blurriness, cataracts macula edema, and retinopathy.
The article we’ve written will talk about the importance of eye exams regularly for diabetics. We also outline the steps to take for preparing an eye exam and offer guidelines to keep your eyes healthy.
Eye screening is crucial
Over 30 million individuals in the United States have diabetes. This condition can increase the risk of developing eye problems due to conditions that are more likely to be experienced by people with diabetes. Experts in health might refer to these issues as diabetic eye disorders.
Diabetic eye screening is the process of identifying eye problems before they can alter the vision. Screening is crucial because a lot of these diseases don’t show any signs at the beginning of their course which is when they are the most manageable.
Experts in health recommend that patients with diabetes undergo a routine eye examination once per year. But, one should be sure to consult with a physician when they need to undergo eye exams.
Regularly undergoing eye examinations. help prevent eye problems and stop the condition from becoming worse. Common eye problems that are related to diabetes are:
Diabetic Retinopathy
This is the most common reason behind the rise in cases of adult blindness and the leading cause of loss of vision among those with diabetes. The high sugar levels can cause damage to the tiny blood vessels of the retina, the layer that is sensitive to light at the back of the eye.
The first stage of the disorder is known as non-proliferative diabetic Retinopathy. At this point, the blood vessels become weaker and start to leak. The resultant symptoms could be minor or absent.
As the condition progresses and it becomes more severe, it is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy. It occurs when the retina starts to grow new blood vessels that are fragile and tend to bleed. In this phase, the symptoms can be more severe and may include loss of vision and retinal detachment.
Macula edema in diabetics
Maculas are the core of the retina, which enables people to perceive fine details and colors. Diabetic macula edema is the possibility of retinopathy-related complications that occur when leaky vessels cause the build-up of liquid. The fluid causes the macula to expand, which results in blurred vision.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye condition where fluid pressure increases in the eye, causing damage to the optic nerve, which can cause loss of vision. Diabetes can cause damage to the blood vessels within the eyes, and this could raise the pressure. This means that people who have diabetes might be more likely than others to develop glaucoma.
Cataracts
A cataract is defined as an opaque area within an eye’s lens. Cataracts are most often seen in people who are older when the eyes’ proteins begin breaking down. However, diabetics who suffer from high blood sugar levels, blood vessel damage, as well as swelling have a greater chance of developing cataracts, which are also more likely to occur at younger ages.
Examine your eyes
Eye exams are an efficient, easy, and non-invasive method the eye physician can assess the health of an eye. It allows them to detect eye issues earlier, at a time when they are less difficult to treat, and also before they can cause problems with vision.
An eye test routinely performed for people suffering from diabetes is usually involved. A doctor will prescribe the eye drops of a patient to dilate or widen their pupils. The dilation of the eye can provide an optometrist, or ophthalmologist, with greater insight into the eye’s structure to aid in identifying possible issues.
During the examination as well as inspecting the eye’s internals an eye specialist will test the eyesight of a person, their eye muscles, pressure, and reaction to light.
Based on the results of the examination the optometrist or an ophthalmologist will inform a patient on the best time to check their eyes. They typically recommend that diabetics examine their eyes annually even if they’re otherwise healthy.
However, the diabetes healthcare team will have a different strategy based on the nature of the diabetes and the time since diagnosis.
Preparation
There is no need to prepare anything prior to undergoing an eye exam that is dilated. It is however recommended for them to control the blood sugar level and strive to control their glycemic levels throughout the examination.
It typically takes between 20 and 30 minutes for the pupil of a person to dilate completely. But, the time of dilation can be between 4 to 24 hours. In this case, the person may experience blurred vision or be sensitive to light for a couple of hours following the test. So, it’s not recommended for someone to drive immediately following the exam, and should make arrangements to have a family or friend member drive them back home following the exam.
For those who are unable to pay for eye exams or have no vision insurance, these options may be beneficial:
- National Eye InstituteTrusted Source
- Prevent Blindness
- Medicare Part B
Risk factors and causes
Diabetic eye disorders are a collection of diseases that are caused by diabetes. They typically arise due to elevated blood sugar levels, which eventually damage blood vessels within the eyes.
While any person with diabetes could suffer from these ailments they are more likely to develop in those who have untreated diabetes or elevated blood pressure. Other factors that can increase the risk are:
- high blood cholesterol
- smoking
- older age
- the length of time that a person has been diagnosed with the disease
- pregnancy
People who belong to certain ethnic and racial categories are also a higher risk. The groups that are at risk include:
- African Americans
- American Indians
- Alaska Natives
- Hispanic people
- Latinx individuals
- Pacific Islanders
Symptoms
A person suffering from diabetes might not be aware of any signs of a diabetic eye condition. This is why eye screening is the best way to spot early warning signs of problems. If someone does exhibit symptoms, they could include:
- blurry vision
- Vision changes
- vision loss
- Color vision is not great.
- seeing floaters
- flashes of light
Anyone who is experiencing any of these signs should seek out an eye doctor.
Diagnosis
An eye doctor is competent to diagnose and test any eye issues in a regular dilated eye examination. In certain situations, they might capture a photo of your eye. This is referred to as a retinal image to assist in identifying and gauging any changes that occur to the eye during each examination. Alternatively, they can opt for ocular coherence tomography in order in order to determine if the retina is thickening.
Other tests could be required based on the health history of a patient.
Treatments
If an eye problem is diagnosed an eye doctor might suggest more frequent eye examinations and may suggest modifications to a patient’s treatment plan for diabetes. In certain cases, Ophthalmologists can treat these ailments with medications or laser treatments, surgical procedures, or a combination of both.
Anti-VEGF medications are a treatment alternative. They block the function of a protein called vascular endothelial cellular growth factor which is responsible for the creation of new blood vessels that could leak. Blocking this protein may help to slow the development of new blood vessels and prevent the leakage of fluid. Anesthesia is the method used by doctors prior to injecting anti-VEGF medications into the eyes.
Laser treatments by Trusted Source make use of intense beams of light to destroy or shrink any blood vessels that cause vision issues.
The surgical options consist of the procedure of vitrectomy as well as cataract surgery. The latter eliminates the clear gel that is found within the middle of your eye. This is referred to as the vitreous gel. This is a way to treat issues that cause excessive blood loss or damaged tissue. The second option involves surgery to remove the cataract lens that is cloudy in order to substitute it for a new lens.
Prevention and management
To avoid eye issues To prevent eye problems, it is essential to undergo an eye examination that is thorough and includes dilation each year. An examination thorough of the eye is able to identify problems before complications occur.
Additional suggestions to maintain eyesight include the Trusted Source
- Controlling blood sugar: Through controlling and managing their A1C levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels, an individual is able to prevent problems with vision.
- Family history information: As many eye diseases are genetic This information can be used to determine whether someone is at a higher risk.
- Maintaining an average overweight: Alongside controlling blood sugar levels, an energizing, balanced diet and consistent exercise can help improve the health of your eyes.
- Protective eyewear that is worn and exercising Eye safety: Safety glasses or sunglasses, goggles, safety shields, and eye protection can keep your eyes safe when you play sports, work with machinery, or do other tasks.
- Stopping smoking cigarettes: Smoking is a risk to health, especially the eyesight.
- Give your eyes an opportunity to time out: If a person spends a significant amount of time in front of the phone, computer, or tablet, frequent screen breaks are essential to help reduce strain on the eyes.
- Hands and contact lenses: Contact lenses are worn by people who wear them. They must clean their hands well after handling lenses and cleanse the lenses in order to avoid infections.
Summary
Diabetes is a condition that can impact the eyes. A lot of eye problems caused by diabetes typically have no obvious symptoms.
It is crucial that people suffering from diabetes have regular eye exams. A doctor’s eye exam can evaluate their eye health and detect any problems in the beginning stages, which makes them less difficult to treat and before they cause permanent damage.