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

Other Helpful Articles by Eye Center of Texas: 

• When to See an Eye Doctor
• What is the Difference Between an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist? 
• Cataract Surgery for Both Eyes at Once? 
• How Many Times Can You Get LASIK? 
• Best Eye Drops After LASIK

Diabetic retinopathy is a type of diabetic eye disease that can cause vision problems and eventually, blindness. If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, you were likely informed that the disease progresses through four stages.

Exactly what are the four stages of diabetic retinopathy? In what way are they connected to the causes and symptoms of diabetic retinopathy? And is there any way to slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy through treatment?

Eye Center of Texas is an expert on diabetic eye diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema (DME), and fast-growing cataracts. Together, we’ll explore the answers to these questions and more below.

The four stages of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by an excess of blood glucose in the blood vessels of the retina. The quickest way to know the answer to the question, “What are the four stages of diabetic retinopathy?” is to track the status of these blood vessels.

Stage 1: Mild nonproliferative retinopathy — microaneurysms

What is the first sign of diabetic retinopathy? Microaneurysms — dilated capillaries which look like a small red dot or balloon — are often the first sign of diabetic retinopathy. However, microaneurysms do not affect vision and often go unnoticed as a result.

Stage 2: Moderate nonproliferative retinopathy — blocked blood vessels

In this stage, the blood vessels in the eye become too swollen to properly provide nourishment to the retina. These changes often cause visible changes to the retina. An increased likelihood of DME is associated with patients who reach this stage of diabetic retinopathy. (Read more about DME and macular puckers on our blog.)

Stage 3: Severe nonproliferative retinopathy — more blocked blood vessels & a call for help

At this stage, a significant portion of the blood vessels in your retina are now blocked, severely decreasing the necessary blood flow to the retina. Eventually, the retina will begin to send out signals, telling the body to grow new blood vessels.

Stage 4: Proliferative retinopathy — blood vessels grow on the retina

Stage four diabetic retinopathy is the most advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy, during which new blood vessels begin to grow on the retina. Unfortunately, these blood vessels are typically both weak and abnormal, which can lead to blood leaking into the eye, vision problems, and potentially blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy complications:

Besides vision loss and blindness, untreated diabetic retinopathy can lead to even more complications. These complications can include glaucoma — pressure in the eye due to a buildup of fluid — and retinal detachment — the pulling away of the retina from the back of the eye due to scar tissue buildup.

Diabetic retinopathy treatment & prevention:

The question about diabetic retinopathy we most often hear after, “What are the four stages of diabetic retinopathy?” is, “Is diabetic retinopathy reversible or treatable?”

While diabetic retinopathy is not reversible, it is highly treatable. Active, regular, and proper management of your diabetes, blood sugar, and blood pressure can significantly reduce the chances of experiencing blindness.

Many patients are also eligible for diabetic retinopathy surgery. Called laser photocoagulation, this procedure can be performed in-office in less than 30 minutes. During the procedure, a laser is used to target leaking blood vessels, sealing them or destroying them before they can cause further vision problems.

Stage 0: Talk with an eye specialist about diabetic retinopathy

The sooner diabetic retinopathy is caught and diagnosed, the better your body will respond to treatment. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes, it is wise to routinely consult with an expert at Eye Center of Texas to check for any signs of diabetic eye disease.

While there, you can also ask other vision-related questions, such as “Now that I have diabetes, is my vision too bad for LASIK?” and receive answers from the experts who provide some of the best LASIK in Houston.

Diabetes doesn’t have to lead to blindness. Make Eye Center of Texas part of your vision of the future. To meet with one of our doctors at our six Houston-area locations, call us at 713-797-1010 or request an appointment online today.

Related Resources:

• Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery vs. Traditional
• Most Common Vision Problems in Houston
• Clear Lens Exchange Vs. LASIK
• Remedies for Dry Eye Syndrome
• Dry Eyes in Winter Symptoms

An estimated 86 million Americans, that’s one in three adults have prediabetes, and nearly 90 percent of them don’t know it. The good news is that prediabetes can be easy to diagnose and can be reversed with diet and exercise.
Tomorrow, March 22, 2016 is Prediabetes Alert Day and The American Diabetes Association is asking Americans to learn where they stand with prediabetes, a condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes.

1.  Tune in to or record The Dr. Oz Show on Tuesday, March 22, for a program about prediabetes and ways to lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
2. Visit DoIHavePrediabetes.org. Take the one-minute risk test and encourage everyone you know to take it, too. A score of 5 or higher means you should talk to your doctor.

Eye Complications due to Diabetes:
People with diabetes do have a higher risk of blindness than people without diabetes. But most people who have diabetes have nothing more than minor eye disorders.  With regular checkups, you can keep minor problems minor. And if you do develop a major problem, there are treatments that often work well if you begin them right away.
Eye Center of Texas has 2 ophthalmologist who specialize in diabetic retinopathy:  Dr. Ting-Fang Suarez and Dr. Paul Stewart.  They would like everyone with prediabetes and diabetes to know that the longer you’ve had diabetes, the more likely you are to have diabetic retinopathy. Almost everyone with type 1 diabetes will eventually have nonproliferative retinopathy. And most people with type 2 diabetes will also get it. But the retinopathy that destroys vision, proliferative retinopathy, is far less common. People who keep their blood sugar levels closer to normal are less likely to have retinopathy or to have milder forms.
Your retina can be badly damaged before you notice any change in vision. Most people with nonproliferative retinopathy have no symptoms. Even with proliferative retinopathy, the more dangerous form, people sometimes have no symptoms until it is too late to treat them. For this reason, you should have your eyes examined regularly by an eye care professional.
Stay at a healthy weight, eat well and be active. With these steps, you can stay healthier longer and lower your risk of diabetes.