Type 2 Diabetes and Eye Complications!
Type 1 or Type 2 diabetics have a much higher chance of developing damage to their blood vessels than non-diabetics.
Among older people with Type 2 diabetes, between 10 and 20% have some problem with their eyes, which weaken with age in all people.
Since the human eye is basically composed of different compartments filled with liquid through which light passes to create images, and the eyes are nourished by a fine network of blood vessels, decreased circulation or increased pressure can cause a host of problems.
Cataracts: Diabetics with Type 1 or Type 2, are 60% more likely to develop cataracts than non-diabetics; they are also more likely to get this eye condition sooner and see the condition progress more quickly.
Cataracts form when protein clumps together on the lens of the eye, obstructing the passage of light.
No-one is certain why diabetics are more likely to develop cataracts at a younger age, but it is thought that the overall stresses of a high sugar environment in the body speeds damage in people who are predisposed to cataracts.
Surgery is an accepted option.
Glaucoma: Diabetics are 40% more likely to suffer from glaucoma than non-diabetics.
The risk increases with age and over the duration of the diabetic condition.
Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up in the eye, pinching the blood vessels that carry blood to the retina and optic nerve and damaging both.
Drugs or surgery are the usual options for glaucoma.
Retinopathy: Nearly all Type 1 and most Type 2 diabetics will eventually suffer from non-proliferative retinopathy, where capillaries in the back of the eye expand to form pouches, blocking blood vessels.
This can cause macula edema, a condition in which fluid leaks into the part of the eye responsible for focusing.
Macula edema is treatable, and usually does not result in permanent vision loss.
In some cases, non-proliferative retinopathy can gradually progress to proliferative retinopathy.
In these cases, the blood vessels become too damaged and close off completely.
This prompts the growth of new blood vessels into the retina, but these are typically weak and leak blood as well as causing scar tissue to form.
The blood can cloud vision in what is called a vitreous hemorrhage, and the scar tissue can shrink and distort, causing retinal detachment.
Caught early, retinopathy can be treated with laser surgery to stop blood vessels from expanding and growing, and to also reduce the risk of bleeding and scarring.
It can lower the risk of severe visual loss significantly if treatment is undertaken early.
The American Diabetes Association recommends an annual eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist who is knowledgeable about diabetic retinopathy, and more frequent examinations if retinopathy is progressing.
If you experience any sudden loss of vision or even a change in vision, do not hesitate to see an eye doctor.
If a problem is caught early, the chances of stopping the disease before blindness occurs are much greater.
Among older people with Type 2 diabetes, between 10 and 20% have some problem with their eyes, which weaken with age in all people.
Since the human eye is basically composed of different compartments filled with liquid through which light passes to create images, and the eyes are nourished by a fine network of blood vessels, decreased circulation or increased pressure can cause a host of problems.
Cataracts: Diabetics with Type 1 or Type 2, are 60% more likely to develop cataracts than non-diabetics; they are also more likely to get this eye condition sooner and see the condition progress more quickly.
Cataracts form when protein clumps together on the lens of the eye, obstructing the passage of light.
No-one is certain why diabetics are more likely to develop cataracts at a younger age, but it is thought that the overall stresses of a high sugar environment in the body speeds damage in people who are predisposed to cataracts.
Surgery is an accepted option.
Glaucoma: Diabetics are 40% more likely to suffer from glaucoma than non-diabetics.
The risk increases with age and over the duration of the diabetic condition.
Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up in the eye, pinching the blood vessels that carry blood to the retina and optic nerve and damaging both.
Drugs or surgery are the usual options for glaucoma.
Retinopathy: Nearly all Type 1 and most Type 2 diabetics will eventually suffer from non-proliferative retinopathy, where capillaries in the back of the eye expand to form pouches, blocking blood vessels.
This can cause macula edema, a condition in which fluid leaks into the part of the eye responsible for focusing.
Macula edema is treatable, and usually does not result in permanent vision loss.
In some cases, non-proliferative retinopathy can gradually progress to proliferative retinopathy.
In these cases, the blood vessels become too damaged and close off completely.
This prompts the growth of new blood vessels into the retina, but these are typically weak and leak blood as well as causing scar tissue to form.
The blood can cloud vision in what is called a vitreous hemorrhage, and the scar tissue can shrink and distort, causing retinal detachment.
Caught early, retinopathy can be treated with laser surgery to stop blood vessels from expanding and growing, and to also reduce the risk of bleeding and scarring.
It can lower the risk of severe visual loss significantly if treatment is undertaken early.
The American Diabetes Association recommends an annual eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist who is knowledgeable about diabetic retinopathy, and more frequent examinations if retinopathy is progressing.
If you experience any sudden loss of vision or even a change in vision, do not hesitate to see an eye doctor.
If a problem is caught early, the chances of stopping the disease before blindness occurs are much greater.
Source...