Contributed by – Healthians Team
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
Contributed by – Krushna Charan
Among all the common diseases, diabetes stands out from the rest. According to the estimation, 77 million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes. Once you are affected by diabetes, you require information, education, support, and self-management skills for effective control and treatment.
Diabetes is caused by low or high blood sugar levels in your blood. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal it starts to affect your eyes in such a way that your vision may get blurry. If diabetes is not controlled then the condition of your eyes can get worse and even lead to partial or complete blindness. It is therefore important to know how diabetes affects your eyes and how keeping it control is the only way to protect your eyes.
Diabetes and eye problems
Diabetes occurs if your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body can’t use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that ensures that the glucose entering the bloodstream from the digestion of food must be removed from the blood. The result of insufficient action of insulin increases the blood glucose concentration in blood and causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also refers to high blood sugar levels in your blood. It may cause nerve damage and worsen your vision.
There is a condition called hypoglycemia which is the opposite of hyperglycemia, which is caused by low blood sugar levels in your blood. The mild symptoms of hypoglycemia also include blurry vision or double vision, and difficulty in concentration.
Eye diseases caused by diabetes
Blurry vision
The damage to your eyes starts when high levels of sugar in the bloodstream blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. In healthy eyes, there is a balance between the fluid that is made and the fluid that leaves the eye. Therefore, this fluid creates constant pressure within the eye and is needed to keep the eye swelled, supported, and working appropriately. Blurry vision may be caused due to the extra fluid leaking into the lens of the eyes. This can lead to the change in the shape of the lens and make it hard for your eyes to focus.
Short-term elevations in blood sugar levels can also affect the lens of the eye, causing blurred vision. Only after controlling diabetes, your blurry vision may get better. Sometimes the blurred vision causes a person to see an ophthalmologist, who then makes the diagnosis of diabetes.
To increase the level of insulin, some people take medicines as prescribed by their doctor and this might be the reason for blurry vision. Long term effects of blurry vision may lead to diabetic eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Diabetic retinopathy
At the back of the eye on the retina, there are tiny blood vessels that nourish the nerves of your eyes. High glucose levels can injure these blood vessels. Those injured blood vessels can also leak fluid and cause swelling in an area of the retina called macular oedema, which can cause the loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or drive.
Glaucoma
In this condition, new fluid is constantly being made within the eye, and the fluid that is being replaced leaves the eye by entering a drainage meshwork towards the front of the eye. The blockage of the drainage system can lead to increased fluid pressure within the eye. This condition is called glaucoma. It may happen due to the eye pressure that is caused by high blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Cataracts
High glucose level causes changes in the proteins inside the cells of the lens and alters the optical properties of the lens. A cataract is caused by clouding of the lens in the eye in a way that the person can’t see clearly. The symptoms of cataracts are gradual blurring of the vision, glare in bright light or sunlight, and poor colour vision, etc. Many people may have cataracts after ageing, but it is seen more often in people who are suffering from diabetes.
[Also read: FAQ’s: How To Protect Your Eyes If You Have Diabetes ]How can vision losses be prevented in diabetes?
Early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss or blurry vision due to diabetes. Some self-management techniques to control diabetes are:
- Control your blood sugar level
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid smoking
- Go for an annual eye test
- Do some eye exercise
The first concerns in treating diabetic patients are to save a life, alleviate symptoms, and enhance the quality of individuals’ life. Thereafter treatment aims to minimize long-term complications. You should try to maintain your blood pressure, check your cholesterol more often to prevent diabetes-related eye diseases.
Among many diseases, diabetes requires more self-management and primary care than others. Not only adhere to a special diet but also those who are undergoing insulin medication need to adjust their dose and watch their blood sugar levels closely.
You must have learned in school that to reach for a glass of water or to write or do any sort of voluntary movement your brain sends the message to the muscles and then the muscles do the job. Whether you want to walk, talk, eat, or even breathe – your brain has to signal the muscles to move.
Now, imagine what would happen if the brain stops sending these messages to the muscles? Would you be able to walk? Would you be able to eat? Would you be able to breathe? The answer is a clear NO!
Medically, this condition is called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or also popularly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is the most common type of motor neuron disease leading to muscle weakness and changes in how the body works.
In this article, let’s look at this disease in detail.
What is ALS?
Each muscle in our body is controlled by motor neurons. These motor neurons run from the brain through the spinal cord to muscles that control movement in the legs, arms, chest, throat, and mouth. In ALS, these motor neurons die. This means that the brain can no more control voluntary movements. As a result, muscles weaken and waste away. You will no longer be able to lift your arm to pick up a pencil or open your mouth to take a sip of water. However, sensory functions and mental faculties are not affected.
[Also read – With these 6 ways you can keep your brain healthy]What exactly happens in ALS?
Since the brain can no longer tell the muscles what to do, you will lose control over any muscle movement. But, it doesn’t happen all of a sudden. ALS is a progressive disease. Almost always, it progresses and gradually takes away your ability to walk, dress, swallow, and breathe.
In the beginning, you might feel a little less steady on your feet. Then you might start to lose control over fine movements like turning a key in a lock. Or your muscles might start to twitch. Over time, you’ll lose control over muscles that help you walk, talk, swallow, and breathe. But, you’ll still be able to see, hear, touch, smell, and taste.
How fast the disease progresses or in what order the symptoms occur differs in each patient. Although the average survival rate is almost 3 years, people with ALS do live for five years, ten years, and longer. In fact, the world renowned physicist Stephen Hawking lived for almost 50 years after the diagnosis.
What are the signs and symptoms of ALS?
ALS typically involves a gradual onset. The symptoms of ALS can be quite different in each individual. While one person may have trouble picking a pen, another person may notice changes in vocal pitch when speaking. Even the rate at which these symptoms progress can vary.
Nonetheless, gradual progressive muscle weakness is considered a common first symptom of ALS disease. Other early symptoms include dropping things, abnormal fatigue of the arms/legs, slurred speech, muscle cramps and twitches, and uncontrolled periods of laughing or crying.
[Also read – 7 common myths of aging debunked]What is the cause of ALS?
ALS can be called a mystifying disease. In almost every case, there’s no clear cause. The patients lack exact genetic history. Nothing about the way they live their lives or the food they eat gives any clues to the clinicians. It is impossible to tell what led to the development of the disease.
However, recent research suggests that there may be multiple complex factors that contribute to the death of motor neurons. A specific risk factor is still not identified. But, the role of environmental and genetic factors as a possible cause is being studied. It is also likely that certain gene mutations might increase the likelihood of developing ALS.
What to do if you get diagnosed with ALS?
Although ALS is not curable, you can do a lot to help yourself and your loved ones adjust to the changing situation.
The first thing that you should do is learn as much as you can about ALS. Work with a medical team and ensure you do everything you can to manage your condition. You can even include professionals like a physical therapist to teach you exercises to keep the muscles strong, or a dietician to plan nutritious meals, or a psychiatrist to help you cope with the emotional issues in your team.
Besides, keep in touch with your friends and family and keep up with as many previous activities as possible. Sit with your caretakers and plan how you will deal with the physical restrictions that are possible in the future and how they can offer help. Be sure to plan the expenses as well. You can also look for support groups that can answer questions and offer insight through shared experiences.
With a strong mind and positive outlook, everything can be dealt with happily. If you ever lack inspiration, read about Stephen Hawking and how he gave the world so much while being restricted to a wheelchair. If he can do it, then so can you!
