How Diabetes Affects Your Eyes
August 17, 2022
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects around 37.3 million Americans. It causes a host of serious health conditions and can lead to death if left untreated. One of the possible conditions caused by diabetes is vision problems. Diabetes can increase the risk of eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. In fact, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness for adults ages 20-74.
So how exactly does diabetes affect your vision? At the risk of oversimplifying, sustained blood sugar levels can damage the tiny blood vessels behind the retina (the photosensitive layer of cells at the back of the eye). This causes the blood vessels to swell and leak which impairs vision. These blood vessels may regrow, but they will likely regrow improperly which causes further impairment to vision. Symptoms of the advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy include blurry or distorted vision, dark or empty patches of vision, floating dark shapes, difficulty seeing colors, and eventually blindness.
Diabetic retinopathy is a serious condition, but the good news is that treatments do exist. It can be distressing for folks with diabetes to learn about the potential for diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases, but it’s important to remember that a diabetes diagnosis is not a sentence to blindness. It’s important to follow your physician's directions and monitor your blood sugar levels at all times.
Another important thing to remember is that treatments for diabetic retinopathy are most effective when caught in the early stages of the illness. That’s why people with diabetes should always get regular eye examinations as optometrists can catch early warning signs before any symptoms even present themselves. If you notice any symptoms such as blurry vision or blind spots, you should contact your optometrist and ophthalmologist immediately and schedule an examination. Once again, there are treatments for this condition, but it is essential to catch it as early as possible.
If you have diabetes and have concerns about the health of your vision, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We know how stressful this condition can be, and we are here to help.
Healthy Food, Healthy Eyes It should be of no surprise to anyone when we say that your diet is extremely important to your overall health and wellbeing—including the health of your eyes. Though managing a healthy diet can seem difficult at times, the good news is that there are various types of food that can help support eye health. Let’s take a look at six foods that are not only great for your vision, but also delicious and nutritious!
The Spring Doesn't Just Bring Beautiful Weather Is there anything worse than allergy season? You’ve just survived another winter and the doldrums that accompany it, and just as soon as the weather gets nice enough to enjoy, mother nature deploys clouds of pollen and your immune system goes haywire. Allergy season is miserable, especially for those who suffer from eye allergies. Eye allergies, also known as allergic conjunctivitis, can cause symptoms such as itching, redness, and tearing, which can be frustrating and uncomfortable. We’ve got your back. While springtime might have your eyes redder than a clown’s nose, there are fortunately several steps that you can take to mitigate pollen’s assault. Let’s take a look at seven tips from the pros for taking care of your eyes during allergy season.
You Don't Have to Put Up With the Fog Ask any glasses wearer about the inconvenience of fogged-up lenses in the winter, and they'll rattle off a laundry list of complaints, ranging from the minor inconveniences of walking into a warm cafe on a cold day to the more dangerous hazards of fogged-out glasses while driving. Glasses can easily fog up in the winter due to the temperature difference between the warm air inside and the cold air outside. This can be particularly annoying for people who rely on glasses for their daily activities. It’s a headache, to be sure; however, there are several ways to prevent or reduce fogging during the long winter months. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that you can overcome this seasonal grievance and live a fog-free life.
Pay Attention to What Your Eyes are Telling You Disease of the eyes can affect anyone, young or old. As vision is one of your most valuable assets, it’s essential to stay well informed. Eye disease can often have no visible signs, so it’s important to identify the symptoms and seek medical advice from an optometrist if you experience any of them. Here are ten common symptoms that may indicate a potential eye condition: 1. Blurred vision Blurred vision or a sudden change in vision can be a sign of an underlying eye problem. While many people’s vision may worsen naturally, it’s important to see an eye doctor to be certain it isn’t a symptom of eye disease. 2. Flashes or floaters These are small spots, specks, lines, or cloud shapes that appear in your vision. Flashes or floaters may be caused by retinal detachment, vitreous detachment, inflammation inside your eyes, or other problems with the vitreous humor, the gel-like substance found inside your eyes.
Don't Neglect Your Vision We live in a busy world, so it’s only natural that some things will fall by the wayside. One thing that is neglected too often is getting a regularly scheduled eye exam. Hey, we get it. These things can be easy to put off until they’ve left your mind completely, especially if you believe you have perfect vision. However, eye disease and vision impairment are serious conditions that are best treated if they are caught as early as possible. So that being said, how do you know if you should see an eye doctor? In order to help you answer that question, we’ve compiled a list of signs that you should have your eyes examined as soon as possible.
It Might Be Time to Move On So you’ve got these glasses that you’ve had forever. You don’t love them, but you don’t hate them either. You can see alright, but maybe it seems like that myopia might be slowly creeping back into your field of vision. They’re in pretty good shape, but there’s one or two blotches on them that just don’t seem to buff despite your best efforts. In short, you’re in a strange limbo where you feel like it might be time for a new pair, but you’re just not sure. Luckily we’re here to make it a little easier for you. Here are our top five signs that you need new glasses.
Your Glasses Shouldn't Effect Your Workout We’ve all been there before: You’re trying to get a sweat in, but you forgot your contact lenses and now your glasses are flopping all around on your nose like a flag in a hurricane. You can’t enjoy your workout because your only options are to risk breaking an expensive prescription or jog blindly down the road and risk breaking way more. It’s a miserable experience that usually ends in cutting your workout short and heading home dejected. It doesn’t have to be that way though! Whether you’re a hobby cyclist, a marathon runner, a consummate gym rat, or play basketball with your friends on the weekend, glasses don’t have to interfere with your workout routine. Here are a few tips that will make sure you never have to skip a workout because of precariously placed eyeglasses again.
Improve Your Health Regular eye exams should be a part of everyone’s healthcare routine, and not just to protect your vision. While it’s true that checkups from your optometrist can catch the early signs of eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, eye exams are remarkably effective at detecting so much more. Many of these diseases can be life-threatening, so early detection and treatment is vital. Let’s take a look at five diseases and health conditions that may be detected during your routine eye exam.
Finding New Frames Doesn't Need to be a Hassle We’ve all been there before. You’ve got a new prescription or maybe you’re replacing your old pair of glasses and suddenly you are confronted with a wall of frames and you suddenly have to decide what your face is going to look like with your glasses for the next couple of years. It’s daunting and exhausting and the last thing you want is to make the wrong decision. Don’t you worry, we’re here with you to help you choose a pair of frames that you’re going to love. We’ve compiled a list of five factors that you should consider when picking your new frames that will make the task feel less herculean.
Anxiety is Normal Going for a trip to the doctor of any type can be a really stressful experience for kids. They have to break from their normal routine, travel to an unfamiliar place, interact with unfamiliar people, and might find what goes on quite unpleasant. It’s completely normal, but it can put parents in the difficult position of putting their children through something they don’t want to do and might feel great apprehension about. Many parents might feel at a loss for what to do, so we’ve compiled a list of advice for parents whose children are feeling anxious about their eye exam.
Healthy Food, Healthy Eyes It should be of no surprise to anyone when we say that your diet is extremely important to your overall health and wellbeing—including the health of your eyes. Though managing a healthy diet can seem difficult at times, the good news is that there are various types of food that can help support eye health. Let’s take a look at six foods that are not only great for your vision, but also delicious and nutritious!
The Spring Doesn't Just Bring Beautiful Weather Is there anything worse than allergy season? You’ve just survived another winter and the doldrums that accompany it, and just as soon as the weather gets nice enough to enjoy, mother nature deploys clouds of pollen and your immune system goes haywire. Allergy season is miserable, especially for those who suffer from eye allergies. Eye allergies, also known as allergic conjunctivitis, can cause symptoms such as itching, redness, and tearing, which can be frustrating and uncomfortable. We’ve got your back. While springtime might have your eyes redder than a clown’s nose, there are fortunately several steps that you can take to mitigate pollen’s assault. Let’s take a look at seven tips from the pros for taking care of your eyes during allergy season.
You Don't Have to Put Up With the Fog Ask any glasses wearer about the inconvenience of fogged-up lenses in the winter, and they'll rattle off a laundry list of complaints, ranging from the minor inconveniences of walking into a warm cafe on a cold day to the more dangerous hazards of fogged-out glasses while driving. Glasses can easily fog up in the winter due to the temperature difference between the warm air inside and the cold air outside. This can be particularly annoying for people who rely on glasses for their daily activities. It’s a headache, to be sure; however, there are several ways to prevent or reduce fogging during the long winter months. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that you can overcome this seasonal grievance and live a fog-free life.
Pay Attention to What Your Eyes are Telling You Disease of the eyes can affect anyone, young or old. As vision is one of your most valuable assets, it’s essential to stay well informed. Eye disease can often have no visible signs, so it’s important to identify the symptoms and seek medical advice from an optometrist if you experience any of them. Here are ten common symptoms that may indicate a potential eye condition: 1. Blurred vision Blurred vision or a sudden change in vision can be a sign of an underlying eye problem. While many people’s vision may worsen naturally, it’s important to see an eye doctor to be certain it isn’t a symptom of eye disease. 2. Flashes or floaters These are small spots, specks, lines, or cloud shapes that appear in your vision. Flashes or floaters may be caused by retinal detachment, vitreous detachment, inflammation inside your eyes, or other problems with the vitreous humor, the gel-like substance found inside your eyes.
Don't Neglect Your Vision We live in a busy world, so it’s only natural that some things will fall by the wayside. One thing that is neglected too often is getting a regularly scheduled eye exam. Hey, we get it. These things can be easy to put off until they’ve left your mind completely, especially if you believe you have perfect vision. However, eye disease and vision impairment are serious conditions that are best treated if they are caught as early as possible. So that being said, how do you know if you should see an eye doctor? In order to help you answer that question, we’ve compiled a list of signs that you should have your eyes examined as soon as possible.
It Might Be Time to Move On So you’ve got these glasses that you’ve had forever. You don’t love them, but you don’t hate them either. You can see alright, but maybe it seems like that myopia might be slowly creeping back into your field of vision. They’re in pretty good shape, but there’s one or two blotches on them that just don’t seem to buff despite your best efforts. In short, you’re in a strange limbo where you feel like it might be time for a new pair, but you’re just not sure. Luckily we’re here to make it a little easier for you. Here are our top five signs that you need new glasses.
Your Glasses Shouldn't Effect Your Workout We’ve all been there before: You’re trying to get a sweat in, but you forgot your contact lenses and now your glasses are flopping all around on your nose like a flag in a hurricane. You can’t enjoy your workout because your only options are to risk breaking an expensive prescription or jog blindly down the road and risk breaking way more. It’s a miserable experience that usually ends in cutting your workout short and heading home dejected. It doesn’t have to be that way though! Whether you’re a hobby cyclist, a marathon runner, a consummate gym rat, or play basketball with your friends on the weekend, glasses don’t have to interfere with your workout routine. Here are a few tips that will make sure you never have to skip a workout because of precariously placed eyeglasses again.
Improve Your Health Regular eye exams should be a part of everyone’s healthcare routine, and not just to protect your vision. While it’s true that checkups from your optometrist can catch the early signs of eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, eye exams are remarkably effective at detecting so much more. Many of these diseases can be life-threatening, so early detection and treatment is vital. Let’s take a look at five diseases and health conditions that may be detected during your routine eye exam.
Finding New Frames Doesn't Need to be a Hassle We’ve all been there before. You’ve got a new prescription or maybe you’re replacing your old pair of glasses and suddenly you are confronted with a wall of frames and you suddenly have to decide what your face is going to look like with your glasses for the next couple of years. It’s daunting and exhausting and the last thing you want is to make the wrong decision. Don’t you worry, we’re here with you to help you choose a pair of frames that you’re going to love. We’ve compiled a list of five factors that you should consider when picking your new frames that will make the task feel less herculean.
Anxiety is Normal Going for a trip to the doctor of any type can be a really stressful experience for kids. They have to break from their normal routine, travel to an unfamiliar place, interact with unfamiliar people, and might find what goes on quite unpleasant. It’s completely normal, but it can put parents in the difficult position of putting their children through something they don’t want to do and might feel great apprehension about. Many parents might feel at a loss for what to do, so we’ve compiled a list of advice for parents whose children are feeling anxious about their eye exam.
