Article concerning the disease known as diabetes and the risk it causes to our all important vision.
What does diabetes mean to a common man? Sugar? But it’s not that
simple. Diabetes is a multi-organ disease that affects almost all parts
of the body simultaneously and eyes are most commonly affected. The
side affects of diabetes can be prevented or delayed by being in touch
with doctors.
Early diagnosis and treatment goes a long way in preserving good
eyesight throughout life. Sometimes, diabetes may be first detected by
manifestations in the eye like infections, boils, styes, recurrent
redness, mild haziness of vision, double vision, frequent change of
glasses for reading, difficulty in focusing near or distance,
difficulty in driving especially at night, glare etc. as these signs
also appear in established diabetic patients. In the presence of these
suspicious symptoms or when in doubt it’s wise to have detailed eye
testing from a specialist.
The main affect of diabetes on eyes is a matter of concern since it can
cause permanent untreatable blindness - diabetic retinopathy. In simple
terms it means diabetic affects or deposition on retina of the eye. In
early stages diabetic retinopathy many not have any symptom to warn you
of it happening inside the eye. This can only be detected by detailed,
meticulous examination of the retina. This early detection is only
possible by awareness and understanding of the disease, regular eye
examination, minimum once a year, unless told otherwise by the eye
surgeon, early referrals by diabetologists, endocrinologists, treating
physicians and general doctors, all of whom need to get their diabetic
patients cleared of diabetic retinopathy, off and on, as they do to
rule out other complications of the disease.
In fact, in this early stage, when there may be just a thickening of
the retina or presence of tiny blood clots due to diabetes, called
CSME, even in the presence of normal 6/6 vision, laser treatment
benefits the patient the most. If diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed at
a later stage, it progresses to severe stage with abundance of
hemorrhages, exudates and fluids and formation of new blood vessels,
ultimately leading to complete blindness due to total bleeding inside
the eye, which requires major eye surgery to retrieve a little bit of
vision that could have been almost 100 percent in earlier stages.
Uncontrolled diabetes and diet, blood pressure, excess weight and
cigarette smoking are not good associations. It is absolutely necessary
to get your eyes tested when your treatment is shifted from oral drugs
to insulin because the latter can cause start/worsening of diabetic
changes in the retina, and that too at a fast speed. Diabetic
retinopathy in pregnancy should be carefully monitored. Cataract
surgery can worsen the retinal condition and get it checked immediately
after the surgery. Diabetes can also cause fast maturation of cataract.
