Diabetes is one of the world’s biggest epidemics because of living unhealthy lifestyles consisting of unhealthy eating as well as being sedentary. If diabetes runs in your family, you are at risk of being diabetic yourself. Even if there is no history of diabetes in your family, you can still end up with diabetes if you end up living a very unhealthy lifestyle. If you are eating junk food all of the time and sitting on the sofa watching TV all day, that is a huge risk factor. That is even the case if you have a fast metabolism that prevents you from being overweight.
You do not want to end up with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes happens when the insulin you make is not enough to break down the glucose, or the insulin does not respond to it known as insulin resistance. Type 1 is when the pancreas no longer makes insulin which is when you have no choice but to go on insulin. Diabetes type 1 and 2 if not controlled will cause other nerve problems and eye problems as well. There are four different eye conditions that result from uncontrolled diabetes and let’s go over those now.
Diabetic Retinopathy
The retina is part of your eye that allows you to make sense of what you are seeing. That means when the blood vessels in your body and in your retina become damaged as a result of uncontrolled glucose levels, then you will begin to have problems with your sight. Diabetic retinopathy is a very common problem that results from uncontrolled diabetes as that is the most common problem that people with the condition face. There are treatments for this condition, but if it is left untreated, it can turn into glaucoma as well as macular edema.
Macular Edema
The macula is the part of the eye that gives the brain the best resolution images the same way you would imagine the role of a high-definition TV. It is around the middle of the retina and is needed for sharp vision. However, when diabetic retinopathy occurs, it caused the blood vessels to leak and protrude into the macula. That is how it swells and that can cause fuzzy or hazy vision.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a common eye condition and it occurs because of damage in the optic nerve as a result of too much pressure inside of the eye. The optic nerve is the nerve that connects the brain to the retina. When this happens, you begin to have a loss in your vision and you can entirely lose your sight if you have too much damage. Neovascular glaucoma is one type of condition and that is caused by diabetes. High sugar levels uncontrolled will cause nerve damage to the optic nerve.
Cataracts
When the lens of your eye becomes cloudy, that is cataracts. Anyone can end up with this condition over 60, but if the cause is due to too much uncontrolled blood sugar causing the build-up in the lens, the condition can happen much sooner. Eye surgeons can remove cataracts through surgery.
Therefore, if you are often seeing floaters or stars, if you have trouble seeing at night, if your vision quality is changing too drastically, then you have an eye condition. That is why if you have diabetes, type 1 or 2 that you work to control it so you do not end up with eye problems. If you are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it does not have to lead to eye problems if you are able to control it through diet, exercise, and taking any prescribed medication for it.
