How does diabetes affect your eyes? Read more to find out!

November is American Diabetes Month! What does this have to do with eyes, you ask? Diabetes and eyesight are closely related, actually. We have a lot of information to give you in this week’s blog!

The Terrible Two

There are actually two types of diabetes.

(A) Type 1 is usually called juvenile diabetes. It only occurs in about 5% of the population and it is usually diagnosed when the patient is a child. The body does not produce insulin and injections are necessary.

(B) Type 2 diabetes is a little different. It is also referred to as “insulin resistant,” which means the body does not properly use the insulin that is produced naturally by the body. This is the most common type of diabetes.

What Does This Mean?

Diabetes can be controlled, but only through carefully regimented diet, oral medications, and (sometimes) insulin treatments. However, the good news is that often times, there are preventative measures those with a risk of developing Type 2 diabetes can take. For instance, maintaining a healthy weight and a good diet with more whole foods and less processed ones can help decrease your risk for developing diabetes. However some risks such as age, ethnicity, and genetics cannot be controlled.

How Does Blood Sugar Affect Eyesight?

With Type 2 diabetes, the insulin produced by the body is not enough to help blood sugar (or glucose) be absorbed by cells. It builds up in the blood and, over time, the patient can develop serious complications. Some of those include an increased risk for glaucoma, cataracts, and, in very serious cases, blindness. The American Diabetes Association has an excellent website that explains many of the complications in great detail here.

Eye LASIK cares about your eyes and everything that can affect them. If you are at risk for developing diabetes, we strongly encourage you to discuss your options with your healthcare provider and to take precautionary measures to avoid it, if possible. Diabetes still has a long way to go before there is a cure, but we love seeing our patients happy and healthy.