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Signs & Symptoms in Eyes of a Diabetic

According to the Mayo Clinic, diabetes affects millions of Americans every year. With diabetes comes a series of health-related issues. Eye problems are one of the symptoms and signs that you or a loved one has diabetes. It is important to be aware of the signs of diabetes so that it can be caught and treated.

  1. Blurred Vision

    • Blurred vision is the most prominent eye problem related to diabetes. High blood sugars can pull needed fluids from the eyes, causing them to become blurry as blood sugars increase. Diabetics are likely to experience blurred vision from time to time as their blood sugars change. Treatment is important as blurred vision can become a problem when driving or performing day-to-day tasks.

    Glaucoma and Cataracts

    • People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing eye problems and complications than non-diabetics. The American Diabetic Association notes that diabetics are 40 percent more likely to have glaucoma and 60 percent more likely to have cataracts than non-diabetics.

    Long-term Vision Problems

    • While most diabetics do not experience immediate blindness with diabetes, untreated diabetes can cause serious, long-term vision problems. In untreated diabetics, new blood vessels form in the back of the eye and old blood vessels become damaged. This can lead to blindness and permanent vision loss.

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