Can Diabetic Individuals Prevent Blindness as a Result of Their Diabetes?

November 1, 2009 — The Pennsylvania Association for the Blind says “YES!”

Nearly half of all diabetics have some form of diabetic retinopathy, which occurs when blood vessels to the retina become blocked or leak fluid or blood, causing vision loss. With nearly 23 million Americans living with diabetes, this is a very serious problem.

All individuals with diabetes, type 1 and type 2, are at risk for diabetic eye diseases and are more susceptible to them the longer you live with diabetes.

In addition to diabetic retinopathy, diabetic eye diseases include:

Cataracts – a clouding of the eye’s lens, which block or changes the passage of light into the eye.
Glaucoma – an increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision.
Macular edema – a swelling of the retina, where blurred vision occurs in the middle or just to the side of the central visual field.
Retinal detachment – one of the most common causes of blindness in diabetes occurs when growing blood vessels pull the retina from the back of the eye.

Symptoms & Signs
In the early stages of diabetes, you may not notice any change in vision, but it can lead to sight-threatening forms of disease if not detected. Anyone experiencing, blurry or clouded vision, floaters or dark spots in vision, straight lines, such as flag poles or street lights, not appearing straight, difficulty seeing in dim light or tunnel vision, should see an eye doctor immediately. It is also important to keep diabetes under control as high blood pressure and poor control of blood sugar levels can increase the risk of blindness.

Importance of Regular Eye Exams
Most vision loss due to diabetes can be prevented, but it is vital that it is diagnosed early. The Pennsylvania Association for the Blind recommends annual eye exams that include dilating the pupils. This allows the eye doctor to check your eye’s blood vessels for unusual changes. Along with eye exams, you can lower your chance of damaging small blood vessels in the eye by keeping your blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol levels near normal. If you smoke, quit. Maintain a healthy diet, and exercise regularly. All of this will be useful to safeguarding your vision.

It is projected that by 2050 the number of Americans with diabetes will double to approximately 46 million people, with diabetes as the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age. With regular eye exams, and a healthy lifestyle, you won’t be a part of that statistic.

For more information about Diabetic Eye Disease and Vision Health contact the PAB at 717-766-2020.