Diabetes & Vision Loss

Each year, approximately 17 million Americans suffer from symptoms of diabetes. Common in specific populations, diabetes can lead to life long debilitating conditions. Of these, vision loss is prevalent especially in individuals who commonly do not monitor and care for abnormal blood glucose levels. As the leading cause of blindness in individuals ranging in age from 20 to 74, diabetes induced blindness can be slowed in deterioration when treated appropriatedly. Understanding the symptoms of diabetes induced vision loss, the methods for diagnosing the various visual disorders and a general overview of treatment options, will provide for a more healthy diabetic experience.

With uncontrolled blood glucose levels associated with diabetes, the progressive deterioration of vision is prevalent in individuals as early as 20 years post disease. Such diabetic induced visual disorders may include retinopathy, a disorder of the retina, cataracts and even glaucoma. Symptoms of diabetic induced vision loss may include aninability to focus, blurred or hazy vision, color blindness and the inability to handle bright or glaring light levels and a significant ability to focus during periods of diminished light, also known as night blindness.

Diagnosing a diabetic induced vision disorder includesstandard and regular opthamology examinations with expanded services to include examinationof the crystalline lens. Thecrystalline lens provides a view into the degree to which the bloodglucose levels may be affected as this lens fluctuates in shape as blood sugar levels fluctuate. In addition to crystalline lens fluctuations, the opthamologist will usually perform a retinal dilation study, under microscope, to determine the degree to which the eye may be swelling. Eye pressure testing will also be performed to determine if glaucoma is present.When suffering from diabetes, it is imperative that both patient, as well as doctor,follow the results of these studies closely.