The Link Between Diabetes and Your Vision

• Posted on: Jan 15 2023
• By: The Eye Clinic

Protecting your eyes from ultraviolet light, particles that can damage the surface of the lens, and other external factors are essential to maintaining your vision. While there are many external things that can negatively impact your vision, one of the most common causes of vision loss in adults is caused from within the body.

A healthy diet and adequate exercise are important to maintaining a long and healthy life and preventing medical conditions that can cause chronic issues. Of these, diabetes is among the most common and can negatively impact nearly every part of your body. One impact many do not think of when they think of diabetes is how it may affect your vision.

Your vision, specifically your eyes’ structures, is very sensitive to changes in blood sugar. As your blood sugar increases, swelling can occur on the lens or other parts of the eye. This can lead to the blurry vision that, if caught in time, can be temporary and reversed.

Since diabetes is a condition where the body cannot keep blood sugar levels in a normal and healthy range, the composition of the blood and when or how new blood vessels are created can also cause potentially significant vision issues.

One of the most serious vision conditions caused by diabetes is diabetic retinopathy can cause blurriness vision or complete vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy begins when the blood vessels in the back of the eye begin to swell and may affect your retina or develop small pockets of blood.

New blood vessels can begin to grow if left undiagnosed or not treated. Since these new blood vessels are often very fragile, they frequently rupture and cause minor bleeding in the back of the eye. This blood can move around or in front of your retina, blocking your vision.

Early detection is critical to correctly diagnosing and treating many conditions that may cause vision loss. Call the Eye Clinic in Portland, OR at 503-297-4718 or visit www.eyeclinicpdx.com to schedule an exam today.

Posted in: Diabetic Eye Care