Over 2 million Canadians have diabetes. About one- third of these have diabetic eye disease. Diabetes is now the most common cause of blindness in people aged 65 and under.
Many patients with diabetic eye disease (“retinopathy”) have no symptoms in the early part of the disease. For this reason, you should have your eyes examined once every year if you have diabetes. The pupils will have to be dilated each time, which may cause your vision to become blurry and more light sensitive for up to 4 hours.
Diabetes damages blood vessels in your body. In your eyes, when the damaged blood vessels leak, the retinas can bleed and swell. Also, if enough blood leaks out of the vessels, the retina can produce new, diseased blood vessels. At this stage, half of all diabetics will become legally blind without treatment. The risk of eye disease increases the longer you have had diabetes. If you have Type 2 “adult onset” diabetes, the risk is higher.
Your best defense against diabetic eye disease is routine eye examinations. Your optometrist will examine the retinas for signs of bleeding. If you develop signs of significant diabetic retinopathy, he or she will send you to a retinal surgeon who may recommend laser surgery. The laser will help to stop the leaky blood vessels from causing further damage to the affected areas, and slow down the rate of vision loss.
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Diabetes and Your Eyes
Over 2 million Canadians have diabetes. About one- third of these have diabetic eye disease. Diabetes is now the most common cause of blindness in people aged 65 and under.
Many patients with diabetic eye disease (“retinopathy”) have no symptoms in the early part of the disease. For this reason, you should have your eyes examined once every year if you have diabetes. The pupils will have to be dilated each time, which may cause your vision to become blurry and more light sensitive for up to 4 hours.
Diabetes damages blood vessels in your body. In your eyes, when the damaged blood vessels leak, the retinas can bleed and swell. Also, if enough blood leaks out of the vessels, the retina can produce new, diseased blood vessels. At this stage, half of all diabetics will become legally blind without treatment. The risk of eye disease increases the longer you have had diabetes. If you have Type 2 “adult onset” diabetes, the risk is higher.
Your best defense against diabetic eye disease is routine eye examinations. Your optometrist will examine the retinas for signs of bleeding. If you develop signs of significant diabetic retinopathy, he or she will send you to a retinal surgeon who may recommend laser surgery. The laser will help to stop the leaky blood vessels from causing further damage to the affected areas, and slow down the rate of vision loss.