Medically Reviewed by: Paul J. Stewart M.D.
How Does Diabetes Affect the Eyes?
Understanding Diabetes and Eye Care
How does diabetes affect the eyes? Can diabetes damage your eyes and lead to blurry vision or other long term eye complications? What about treatment – is eye damage from diabetes reversible?
Whether you’ve had diabetes for years, have just been diagnosed, or are simply doing some investigating into future health concerns, questions like these are bound to cross your mind. Diabetes can cause several complications with your vision, which may start to show up as diabetic eye disease symptoms. These complications can be short term and temporary or long term and very problematic.
Long story short, diabetes can and often does negatively impact your eyes. In fact, blurry vision can sometimes be a warning sign that a diabetes diagnosis may be on the horizon. Learn the basics of diabetes and eye care covered below, then call the trusted ophthalmologists at Eye Center of Texas for more information.
How does high blood sugar affect your eyes?
When you ask the question “How does diabetes affect the eyes?” you simply can’t get very far into an answer without stumbling upon the role of blood sugar.
When you suffer from high (or even low) blood sugar, you may experience short term blurriness. Once you’re able to get your blood sugar levels back under control, your blurry vision may start to clear up. In these instances, when the damage to your eyes isn’t permanent, patients may see a reversal in symptoms.
Health note: Diabetes can lead to cataracts. Learn more about fast-growing cataracts and what the early signs of cataracts are.
Eye care and diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the blood vessels in your eyes are damaged permanently due to uncontrolled diabetes. If left unchecked, vision symptoms and issues caused by diabetic retinopathy will become worse over time.
Diabetic eye disease symptoms often include:
- Floaters
- Blurry vision
- Vision loss
- Dark areas
- Poor night vision
- Impaired color vision
For more information regarding diabetic retinopathy, read our articles regarding your diabetic retinopathy diagnosis, the four stages of diabetic retinopathy, and foods to eat for diabetic retinopathy and eye health.
Have diabetes? Experiencing blurry vision? Eye Center of Texas can help.
The answer to “How does diabetes affect the eyes” isn’t a straightforward one. As we mentioned previously, diabetes-related blurry vision can be temporary, a sign of diabetic retinopathy, or even a symptom of other issues aside from diabetes.
If you have diabetes and have noticed a sudden or gradual increase of blurry vision, it’s time to check in with your eye doctor at Eye Center of Texas. When it comes to your vision, it’s best to play it safe, and that’s especially true if you have diabetes.
For some of the best eye care in Houston, visit a leading ophthalmologist at Eye Center of Texas. Request an appointment online or give us a call at 713-797-1010 today
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