Diabetic Retinopathy – This common eye disease is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. Diabetic retinopathy is caused when high blood sugar damages blood vessels in the retina (a light-sensitive layer of cells in the back of the eye).
Damaged blood vessels can swell and leak, causing blurry vision or stopping blood flow. Sometimes new blood vessels grow, but they aren’t normal and can cause further vision problems. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes. Anyone with,, or (diabetes while pregnant) can develop diabetic retinopathy.
The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to develop it. These factors can also increase your risk:
, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels that are too high. Smoking. Race/ethnicity: African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and American Indians/Alaska Natives are at higher risk.
If you have diabetic retinopathy, low-vision aids such as magnifying glasses and special lenses can help. Ask your eye doctor to refer you to a, Diabetic retinopathy has 2 main stages: Early stage (nonproliferative): Blood vessel walls in the retina weaken and bulge, forming tiny pouches (you won’t be able to detect them, but your eye doctor can).
These pouches can leak blood and other fluid, which can cause a part of the retina called the macula to swell (macular edema) and distort your vision. Macular edema is the most common cause of blindness in people with diabetic retinopathy. About half of people with diabetic retinopathy will develop macular edema.
Advanced stage (proliferative): In this stage, the retina begins to grow new blood vessels. These new vessels are fragile and often bleed into the vitreous (the clear gel between the lens and retina). With minor bleeding, you may see a few dark spots that float in your vision.
Blurry vision Spots or dark shapes in your vision (floaters) Trouble seeing colors Dark or empty areas in your vision Vision loss
Can diabetes related blindness be reversed?
Can Diabetic Retinopathy Be Reversed? – Damage caused by diabetic retinopathy is typically permanent. This condition isn’t fully reversible, but some treatments may help bring some of your vision back. While treatments aren’t likely to return your vision, your eye doctor can help prevent your vision from worsening,
How does high blood sugar affect your eyes?
Diabetic Eye Disease – Diabetic eye disease refers to the group of eye conditions that can result from diabetes. These include: Diabetic retinopathy. The leading cause of blindness in American adults, diabetic retinopathy occurs when changes in the retina’s blood vessels cause either leaking of the vessels or growth of abnormal new blood vessels on the retina’s surface.
“We have great treatments for diabetic retinopathy,” says Cai. “However, it is important to get regular eye examinations so that your doctor can offer you these treatments as soon as you might need them.” Macular edema. The macula — the center of the retina that provides sharp, straight vision — can swell due to leaky blood vessels caused by diabetes.
This can result in blurred or distorted vision. Glaucoma. One form of glaucoma, neovascular glaucoma, is caused by diabetes. High sugar levels can damage the retina’s blood vessels and result in the creation of abnormal new ones. When new blood vessels grow on the eye’s iris (the colored part of the eye), it can cause an increase in eye pressure and glaucoma.
Do most diabetics go blind?
Diabetes and Vision Loss 
Get a dilated eye exam at least once a year to protect your eyesight. Diabetes can damage your eyes over time and cause vision loss, even blindness. The good news is managing your diabetes and getting regular eye exams can help prevent vision problems and stop them from getting worse.
What percentage of diabetics go blind?
A Closer Look at Diabetic Retinopathy Medically Reviewed by on February 13, 2021 is a common and potentially disabling long-term complication of diabetes. This condition arises when elevated levels of blood sugar damage the tiny vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the retina, the part of the that detects light. Typically, both are affected.
- Retinopathy can also lead to, increased pressure within the eye that can further threaten vision.
- Untreated, retinopathy can lead to progressive and irreversible,
- This condition is the leading cause of blindness in people between the ages of 20 and 60.
- But if retinopathy is diagnosed early, blindness can be prevented.
Although many people with develop impaired, fewer than 5% suffer severe vision loss. For a person who has diabetes, the risk of developing retinopathy is directly related to the length of time that they has had diabetes. Both type 1 and can lead to retinal damage.
Blurred vision that does not improve with glassesVision that worsens, improves, then worsens againSudden loss of vision, particularly following events such as or Seeing “cobwebs,” “spots,” or a “hole” in your field of vision
© 2021 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. : A Closer Look at Diabetic Retinopathy
How quickly can diabetes affect your eyes?
Diabetic Eye Disease – Diabetic eye disease is not the name of an actual disease. Instead, it’s an umbrella term for a group of diabetes-related diseases that affect your vision. Diabetic eye disease includes:
Diabetic retinopathy Cataracts Diabetic macular edema Glaucoma
It usually takes between 5 to 10 years to develop a diabetic eye disease. However, that doesn’t mean that you’re in the clear before then. Uncontrolled blood sugar can result in eye damage long before symptoms appear, and diabetic eye disease can result in severe sight loss or even blindness at any stage.
Can glasses correct diabetic retinopathy?
This blurred vision cannot be fixed with glasses. With further damage to the retinal blood vessels, the retina will become oxygen depleted. This results in the growth of abnormal new blood vessels, a condition known as neovascularization.
How long does it take to get your vision back from diabetes?
Blurry Vision – Patients with diabetes should ideally avoid using glasses or change their glasses as soon as they experience blurring of visions. This could be a sign of a minor problem linked to an increase in the blood sugar levels that causes the lens to swell and change their ability to see clearly.
Can diabetic retinopathy be corrected with glasses?
This blurred vision cannot be fixed with glasses. With further damage to the retinal blood vessels, the retina will become oxygen depleted. This results in the growth of abnormal new blood vessels, a condition known as neovascularization.
Can diet reverse diabetic retinopathy?
The effects of diet on diabetic retinopathy – The most famous diet-based therapy for reversing serious chronic disease is credited to Dr. Walter Kempner, physician of the ophthalmology department at Duke University, who pioneered the approach with his recommendations for eating mostly rice and fruit.
Kempner’s diet was plant-based and ultra-low in sodium, fat, cholesterol and protein. Kempner conducted a patient study in which he took “eyegrounds photographs”, which captured a view of the back of the eye. By tracking changes in these images, he demonstrated that diet could actually reverse damage.
In fact, he found some patients who had suffered extreme vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy were later able to read fine print again. Of the 44 patients in his study who had diabetic retinopathy, 30% of them saw improvement in their vision. Nowadays, we have many advanced laser therapies and injections to treat diabetic retinopathy.