Eye problems that can affect diabetics
Diabetes is a disease that is accompanied by a number of complications that manifest themselves in the body of the affected person over time. These complications are varied and can be seen on any part of the body including the eye which is usually referred to as diabetic retinopathy. The main cause of this condition is damage to blood vessels that are found in the tissue that is light-sensitive located in the retina. The eye condition can be found in both Type I and Type II diabetics who have had the disease for a long time which results in their levels of blood sugar being less controlled.
Although the main cause of the eye complications is damaged blood vessels in the retina due to high levels of blood sugar, there are a number of risk factors that may increase the chances of its developing in diabetics. These factors may vary from one person to another but the most common include tobacco use, duration that a person has been diabetic, lack of proper control of level of blood sugar, pregnancy, high cholesterol and blood sugar.
As the complication of the eyes due to diabetes develop there are a number of symptoms can be detected to enable the person affected seek treatment as soon as they can. Most times the symptoms are detected after the disease has progressed for some time, with some of them being blurred vision, empty areas in vision, fluctuating vision, vision loss, color perception difficulty and floaters that resemble spots and dark strings in the vision among others. The disease which affects the two eyes can be placed in two categories which are early and advanced, but this depends on the symptoms being exhibited. The two categories are non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), with the former being the mild type and the latter being the severe type.
Treatment of this particular eye complication as a result of diabetes is possible but it is important to first consult with a doctor as soon as any of the symptoms are detected. The doctor will perform a number of tests including one that dilates the eye to enable them see inside the eyes. Also they may test one’s vision to see the extent of damage that the complication may have caused. As soon as a positive diagnosis is made, treatment should commence and it usually depends on the exact type of eye complication, its severity and its response to earlier treatments. However, the severe type of eye complication has treatments such as vitrectomy, focus and laser treatments that basically try and restore the eye back to its original state as much as possible.
Initially, diabetic retinopathy does not exhibit symptoms but in some people encounter mild problems with their sight. However, if left untreated the result is blindness which makes prevention of the complication very important. It is therefore important for diabetics to have eye exams annually and also control their level of blood sugar.