What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that affects the way we process food for energy and growth. With all forms of diabetes—type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes—the body has trouble converting sugar in the blood into energy, resulting in a host of potential health problems.
Diabetes increases the likelihood that common diabetes-related vision problems or diseases might occur:
- Diabetics are susceptible to developing cataracts (a clouding of the eye’s lens) earlier in life.
- Diabetics are almost 50% more likely to develop glaucoma, an eye disorder which damages the optic nerve and causes an increase of internal eye pressure.
- Macular edema (and macular degeneration) are more common in diabetics because of malfunctioning blood vessels in the middle region of the retina responsible for clear and sharp vision.
- Last but not least, diabetes can cause diabetic retinopathy; an eye disease that can affect the blood vessels in the retina. Almost 45 percent of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have some form of diabetic retinopathy.
That’s why diabetes and eyes are so connected. If you have diabetes, you should understand the possible vision problems caused by diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy involves swelling, leaking or abnormal growth of blood vessels in or near the retina.
Diabetes prohibits the body from properly using and storing sugar,
What are the causes of diabetic retinopathy and long-term diabetes? Changes in blood-sugar levels is the main culprit.
95% of people diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, if treated promptly, can avoid significant vision loss.