How Do I Prevent Diabetic Eye Disease?

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes it’s important that you find the proper medication and treatments to help manage your blood sugar levels. Uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to significant and potentially life-threatening health problems. Diabetes can affect many parts of the body including the nerves, heart, kidneys and eyes. Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye disorders that affect those living with diabetes. These conditions include,

Diabetic retinopathy: damage to the blood vessels of the retina
Diabetic macular edema (DME): swelling of the macula, an area of the retina
Cataracts: a condition that causes the lens of your eye to become cloudy
Glaucoma: a disease that damages the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain
Any diabetic eye disease has the ability to cause permanent changes in vision and even blindness if the problem isn’t properly addressed. Controlling diabetes through medication and lifestyle changes is one of the best ways to prevent complications associated with diabetic eye disease. According to the CDC, about 90 percent of vision loss due to diabetes is preventable. Therefore, even if you aren’t dealing with vision problems it’s important for anyone living with diabetes to visit their eye doctor at least once a year for a regular eye exam.

In the early stages, diabetic eye diseases won’t often cause symptoms. In fact, people won’t even know that they have a problem until they notice a loss of vision. Early detection is key. To prevent irreversible vision loss it’s important that you see an eye specialist at least once a year for a checkup even if everything seems healthy.

Symptoms of Diabetic Eye Disease

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and you are dealing with any of these symptoms below it’s important that you call our office as soon as possible for immediate treatment,

“Floaters” or spots in your vision
Blurry vision
Flashes of light
Impaired color vision
Black spots in your vision
Loss of vision
When sugar levels change drastically this will alter the shape of the eye’s lens. As glucose levels stabilize this can improve vision; however, it’s important that if you experience changes that you don’t try to treat it yourself. If your diabetes medication is not stabilizing your blood sugar levels then it’s time to see a doctor right away.

If you are concerned about diabetic eye disease or experiencing any changes in your vision then call Eye Specialist Group in Oak Lawn, IL, today at (708) 581-3514.