What Does Diabetic Eye Damage Look Like?  

People with diabetes often develop diabetic eye damage. The American Diabetes Association recommends seeing an eye doctor for regular eye checkups, especially if you have this condition. Doing so can help you manage the symptoms of diabetic eye damage. Here are the details you should consider if you want to know what this condition is like.

The Definition and Types of Diabetic Eye Damage

This eye condition is common among diabetic patients. It is a collection of eye diseases related to diabetes. The two most common types are MDE (diabetic macular edema) and diabetic retinopathy. Here are some facts about them:

• DME is a condition characterized by a buildup of fluid in the macula, the center of the retina. This part of the eye is responsible for color and sharp vision. DME’s symptoms include floaters, washed-out colors, and wavy, blurry vision. This form of diabetic eye damage can lead to vision loss.

• Diabetic retinopathy results from blood vessel damage in your retina. The blood vessels can leak into the retina. They can also bulge or weaken. Once diabetic retinopathy worsens, it can close off some blood vessels and cause new ones to grow and spread out. Without treatment, it can develop into DME or vision loss. You can see washed-out colors, blurry vision, and floaters. Diabetic retinopathy causes dark or black areas in your area of vision.

• Cataracts also form in a person with diabetes. The condition involves the clouding of lenses. Many diabetic patients develop cataracts at an earlier stage than those without diabetes. Scientists believe that the high levels of glucose in the blood build up in the natural lenses, resulting in cataract formation.

• Glaucoma can damage the optic nerves that connect your eyes to your brain. The symptoms of glaucoma are not evident until it reaches its late stages. This type of diabetic eye damage can lead to blindness if you do not get early treatment.

The Risks

Those with diabetes can develop diabetic eye disease and suffer significant damage to their eyes. Diabetic patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure or high blood sugar and patients who smoke and have high levels of cholesterol in the blood have a greater risk of developing diabetic eye disease.

People of certain ethnicities tend to develop this eye condition after a diabetes diagnosis. Natives of Alaska, African Americans, and Native American Indians are more prone to this eye condition. Pacific Islanders and Latinos are also more susceptible.

Pregnant women with diabetes can have eye damage during their pregnancy. Those who already have diabetic eye disease can have more eye damage when they get pregnant. The changes in the bodies of pregnant women tend to put stress on the blood vessels in their eyes. That is why regular eye checks are necessary. Catching diabetic eye disease early results in early treatment.

Diabetic eye damage leads to the deterioration of your eye health and vision. At Primary Vision Care, we encourage our diabetic patients to have regular eye checks. This can help them get early treatment for their diabetic eye disease.

Please visit our clinics in Newark, Lancaster, Mount Vernon, Wilmington, and Waynesville, Ohio, for a one-on-one consultation. Call us at 740-299-1155 (Newark), 740-654-9909 (Lancaster), 740-393-6010 (Mount Vernon), 937-382-4933 (Wilmington), or 513-897-2211 (Waynesville) to set an appointment or ask about our diabetic eye care packages.