Have you ever wondered why your optometrists ask about your general health, especially diabetes? Have you recently been diagnosed with diabetes, and your GP tells you to visit your optometrist? Why is that?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body processes blood glucose (sugar). It can affect almost all body organs, and your eyes are no different. Diabetes can affect your vision, and, as always, prevention and early detection are best.
Elevated blood sugars can cause damage to the blood vessels in the retina, causing them to weaken. This leads to diabetic retinopathy. Small bleeds or microaneurysms are commonly found in diabetic retinopathy. In some cases, new blood vessels that are particularly leaky can form, leading to more significant bleeds and swelling. Macula oedema (swelling) is a common cause of vision changes in diabetes. The macula is a very light-sensitive region in our eyes that’s responsible for the central vision. If the macula is affected, it distorts your vision or even makes your central vision patchy.
Cataracts are prevalent in the general population, especially as we age. In diabetic patients, however, these can develop sooner due to the changes in sugar levels causing clouding of the lens in the eye. This clouding can gradually cause a decline in vision and reduce our contrast sensitivity. This means that vision in low or dim light conditions, such as dusk and dawn, significantly affects cataract patients.
There is also an increased risk of developing glaucoma when diabetic. New blood vessels can grow where the fluid within the eye drains. This can lead to high intraocular pressures, a significant risk factor for glaucoma. If left untreated, glaucoma affects your peripheral or side vision. Untreated glaucoma is sometimes not associated with pain, and your peripheral vision is gradually affected. At Capital Eye, your optometrist in Canberra, we use advanced screening technologies, such as OCT retinal scanning and computerised perimeter, to map and compare your eyes’ and vision’s structure and function. This allows early detection and enables your optometrist in Canberra to act before any part of your vision is affected.
Regular eye checks, at least annually, are essential for diabetic patients. Optometrists can detect early signs of diabetic changes, particularly in the retina. A dilated fundus (retina) exam involves instilling dilating drops into the eyes. This causes the pupil to dilate, allowing the optometrist to examine the retina and other eye structures thoroughly. OCT (optical coherence tomography) is routinely performed, allowing your optometrists to view the individual layers in the retina for earlier detection of ocular disease.
The Bottom Line
If you have diabetes, the best thing you can do to reduce/prevent diabetic changes in the eye is to control your blood sugar levels. Regular eye exams ensure the earliest changes are detected and treated if required.
If you are recently diagnosed with diabetes, it is essential to check your eyes as a baseline and incorporate regular eye exams as part of your diabetes management. Suppose you have already been living with diabetes for quite some time and haven’t visited your optometrist in Canberra in the last 12 months. In that case, you can conveniently book a diabetic eye assessment with us here at Capital Eye.