Diabetes-related sight loss

Diabetes is a major cause of visual impairment (and sometimes total blindness) but if caught early, sight loss can be prevented.  Diabetes effects the body's ability to produce insulin, which means the body cannot cope normally with sugar and other carbohydrates in the diet.  This can lead to many complications, including a higher risk of eye problems.

Diabetes effects the eyes in a number of ways:

• Diabetic retinopathy is when the blood vessels feeding the retina (the light sensitive cells at the back of the eye) are effected (background retinopathy).  They may swell or haemorage, effecting sight. 
• After time Maculopathy may occur as retinopathy becomes more severe.  Central vision will gradually get worse.  Peripheral vision is usually left uneffected.
• •Proliferative retinopathy:  If left untreated the blood vessels may become blocked and new blood vessels form naturally to replace the damaged one.  However these blood vessels are usually weaker than the originals and may grow in the wrong places.  If these vessels bleed they cause scar tissue in the eye which can distort the retina and pull it out of it's correct possition (detached retina).  This can be very sudden and more severe than the earlier problems caused by diabetes.
• For expert advice read Diabetes UK's page on diabetic retinopthay by click here.
  
  
• Cataracts:  Cataracts, the clouding of the eye's lens, is very common eye condition, usually related to age. They may occur earlier in people with diabetes.  To find out more about cataracts click here to read the VWS blof entry on cataracts.
  
  
• Blurred vision:  When diabetes is not correctly controlled temporary blurred vision can occur.  This is due to the lens of the eye swelling and will return to normal once the diabetes is managed properly and brought under control.

So it is very important that regular eye checks are made to catch any symptoms of the effects of diabetes on the eyes.  Early diagnosis is importanant and although diabetes is sometimes only discovered after the serarch for reasons for sight lost are examined, if you know you are already diabetic an annual eye examination is recommended (free for diabetics).  Do not wait until vision loss has already occured.

Treatment:

Laser surgery can be used to treat diabetic retinopathy is caught early enough.  Precision high intensity light is used to seal damaged and leaking blood vessels preventing further loss of sight.  It cannot restore sight already lost.

Managing diabetes is the best revention.  Keeping good control on your blood sugar level and high blood pressure reduces the risk of diabetes-related sight loss.  Good diet and low cholesterol is important and smoking raises both blood sugar level and blood pressure so should be avoided.

Links:

• Diabetes UK

"Diabetes UK is the leading charity for the three million people in the UK with diabetes, funding research, campaigning and helping people living with the condition. Our mission is to improve the lives of people with diabetes and work towards a future without diabetes. For more information visit http://www.diabetes.org.uk/ "

Quote from Diabetes UK email to VisionWebSight

• RNIB page on diabetes-related eye conditions
• NHS page on diabetic retinopathy

Many thanks to Ben Jephcote from the Diabetes UK Digital Media team