Diabetes and Eyes

One of the most important and sensitive organ of the body is Eyes. In diabetes eyes like any other organ of body are involved and can cause complete blindness.

Involvement of eyes depend upon the duration of diabetes. If diabetes is there for more than 15 years eyes are definitely involved.

Eyes are more involved in Type I diabetes than Type II diabetes. Other factor which is responsible for eye involvement is uncontrolled Blood Sugar. Prolonged period of uncontrolled diabetes causes more danger to eyes.

Symptoms are

• Itching in eyes, irritation.
• Watering, painful eye movements.
• Headache, redness, diminished vision.
• Double vision, black spots in front of eyes.
• Frequent change in power of glasses.
• Paralysis of eye muscles leading to double vision or squint. - Cataract, and sudden loss of vision-due to bleeding in eye or retinal detachment.

How to Manage

Best and simple way to keep the diabetes under control is by strict diet control and regular use of anti-diabetic medicines.

• All diabetic patients should have regular complete eye check up at least once in a year.
• Diabetics who smoke are at a higher risk for loss of eye sight.
• Blood pressure should be kept under control.
• Retinal detachment and retinopathy can be kept under control by photo coagulation and laser therapy which is very effective. This type of treatment is available at all big centres. It is prophylactic therapy and can prevent blindness in Diabetic patients.

Eye Care in Diabetes

When you have diabetes, you have a high risk of eye problems that can lead to severe damage or blindness. This risk becomes even higher if you are between 40 to 60 years old age if you have had diabetes for a number of years.

What is especially bad is that many times the eyes are damaged before any symptoms are felt. So it is very important to visit your eye doctor regularly (at least once a year)-and immediately if you notice anything wrong with your eyes.

Common Diabetics Eye Problems

1. Cataracts-Clouding of the normally clear lens in the eye.
2. Glaucoma-An increase in pressure within the eye.
3. Diabetic retinopathy-Weakening and breaking down of the small blood vessels in the retain.