Protect Your Eyes From the Effects of Diabetes

We know when you’re living with diabetes you’re extra careful about all your health needs, and we’re here to support your vision care. People with diabetes have a higher risk of certain eye diseases, so annual eye exams can help you avoid vision loss.

One in 3 Canadians have diabetes or prediabetes, and many don’t know it yet. An eye exam can be the first way a doctor detects diabetes and can identify a serious diabetic eye disease that doesn’t initially present symptoms, like diabetic retinopathy.

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What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease, affecting about 500,000 Canadians. It’s caused by a damage to the blood vessels that supply your retina, which results in blood leakage, swelling of the retina, or the blood vessels closing off, causing hypoxia (lack of oxygen) inside the eye and more subsequent complications such as neovascularization (development of weak blood vessels). It’s very treatable, but if left untreated, it can lead to blindness.

Your eye doctor can detect diabetic retinopathy before you start to notice symptoms. We use optical coherence tomography (OCT) and Optos imaging to take detailed images of your retina to diagnose and monitor any changes.

Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms

Diabetic retinopathy can begin before you’ve noticed any changes in your vision. As it progresses, you may notice:

Blurry vision
Loss of central vision, or black holes or spots in your vision
Flashes of light
Inability to see colours

Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy

By controlling your blood sugar, not smoking, and keeping your blood pressure low, you’ll lower your risk of diabetic retinopathy.

Early detection and treatment can make a major difference in maintaining your vision when you have diabetic retinopathy. Treatment can include intraocular injections, laser therapy, or retinal surgery.

An image of a phoropter, which determines if you have a refraction in your eyes.

Other Diabetic Eye Diseases

Cataracts

The excess blood sugar caused by diabetes can cause cataracts, which is the clouding of your lens. Cataracts are very common in adults over 80 in the general population and can be treated with surgery to replace the clouded lens.

Glaucoma

There’s a proven link between diabetes and glaucoma, and it’s more prevalent in people who have lived with diabetes for a long time. Glaucoma most often results from increased intraocular pressure, and if not treated, can cause blindness.

Diabetic Macular Edema

Diabetic macular edema is caused by diabetic retinopathy. It’s a build-up of fluid in the macula, which is part of the retina. Symptoms can include wavy or blurry vision and washed-out colours. It can affect one or both eyes, and if it’s only in one eye, you may not notice the symptoms without an eye exam.

Stay Ahead of Symptoms

While the potential complications of diabetes for the health of your eyes can be scary, they’re not inevitable. By booking annual eye exams, managing your blood sugar, and living a healthy, active lifestyle, you’re taking all the right steps to preserve your vision for a lifetime. The diabetes support education program is a great resource that provides individuals with the tools, skills and confidence needed to properly self-manage their diabetes and enable them to live healthy lives.