Diabetes is the number one cause of blindness. If you have diabetes, then maintaining a healthy diet and monitoring your blood sugar and cholesterol levels are recommended if you want to reduce the probability of developing diabetes-related eye problems. Use our blog to learn more about the relationship between diabetes and eye diseases.
How Can Diabetes Cause Eye Problems?
Glaucoma
You have an optic nerve in your eye. Glaucoma is an eye disorder that occurs when intense pressure is applied to the optic nerve. Having intense pressure on this nerve adds strain, hindering the nerve from functioning properly. Typically, there is a buildup of excess fluid in the drainage system of your optic nerve, which causes the pressure. When there’s a buildup of fluid, you’ll experience mild to severe blindness in a portion of one or both of your eyes.
Diabetes can trigger the occurrence of glaucoma. High blood sugar levels can affect the blood vessels in your eyes by causing abnormal blood vessel growth, increased fluid production, or drainage impairment.
Cataracts
You can have a cataract in one or both eyes. A cataract is a condition in which the lens of your eye becomes cloudy. This condition will give your iris a grayish film and blur your vision. Your blurry vision will continue to worsen unless you get a corneal transplant operation.
The high blood sugar found in people with diabetes can trigger eye abnormalities that eventually lead to cataract development. For example, high blood sugar causes proteins to attach to your lens, which impairs the lens’ ability to transmit light. High blood sugar can also damage the natural protein of the lens, also disrupting its ability to transmit light.
Macular Edema
A portion of your retina swells when you have macular edema. This eye condition causes you to have blurry vision. Poor circulation and nerve damage caused by diabetes can lead to macular edema.
Reputable Eye Doctor in Skokie, IL
Summer is here and fall is near. In other words, there is a lot of natural beauty for you to see. Don’t let an eye disease caused by diabetes be the reason you don’t enjoy the seasons. Schedule an appointment with board-certified ophthalmologist Stuart P. Sondheimer, MD. Your vision is as equally important to him as it is to you. You may schedule an appointment by calling 847-677-2794
