Uncontrolled high blood sugar in diabetics can cause various eye diseases. If not treated early, this condition has a high risk of causing vision problems. some insome of which can even cause permanent eye damage.
In the short term, high blood sugar levels can cause changes in the shape of the eye lens. This can make vision blurry.
If left untreated for a long time, blood sugar will damage the blood vessels and nerves in the retina, causing blindness. Therefore, in addition to regularly getting treatment, diabetics are strongly advised to visit an ophthalmologist regularly.
Various Eye Diseases in Diabetics
Here are some eye diseases that are commonly experienced by diabetics.
1. Blurred vision
High blood sugar levels make the lens of the eye swell to the point where it interferes with the eye's ability to see. To correct this, blood sugar must return to the normal range, which is between 70 mg/dL to 130 mg/dL before eating, and less than 180 mg/dL for an hour or two after eating.
If you have diabetes and there are complaints of impaired vision or blurred vision, immediately go to an eye doctor. This could be a symptom of eye disease due to complications of diabetes.
2. Cataract
Everyone is at risk for cataracts, but people with diabetes tend to develop them early and can get worse quickly.
Cataracts make the lens of the eye look cloudy like it is covered in white fog. Eye disease in diabetics can be treated with surgery, namely replacing the damaged eye lens with an artificial eye lens.
3. Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease that can also arise due to complications of diabetes. Glaucoma occurs when fluid in the eye cannot drain properly, causing it to build up and increase pressure in the eyeball.
As a result, the nerves and blood vessels of the eye can be damaged due to the pressure of the fluid, and cause visual disturbances.
Uncontrolled diabetes is also at risk of causing sufferers to experience the formation of new blood vessels in the iris (the colored part of the eye). As a result, eye fluid will increase, and increase the pressure in the eye.
4. Diabetic retinopathy
To be able to see well, the retina of the eye requires an adequate blood supply. In diabetics, high blood sugar levels can damage these blood vessels and cause retinal problems. This condition can lead to blindness if treated too late.
Diabetic retinopathy usually takes several years to threaten vision. The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they are to develop this eye disease, especially if blood sugar levels are not controlled with medication.
For people with diabetes, don't forget to take regular medication and check with the doctor according to schedule. To maintain eye health, diabetics need to have regular eye examinations to an ophthalmologist every 1 to 2 years. Women who are planning to become pregnant or are pregnant and have a history of diabetes also need to have an eye exam.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, see an ophthalmologist immediately if your vision is suddenly blurry, there is a feeling of “hole”, there is a feeling of light, glare, or black spots (floaters). The earlier the examination is carried out, the sooner eye disease in diabetics can be treated.
