When you live with diabetes, you know how important it is to manage your blood sugar. You might also be aware that diabetes can affect many different parts of your body, including your eyes.
The relationship between your metabolic health and eye health is strong. Diabetes can cause double vision, often by affecting the nerves that control your eye muscles. Understanding this connection and the importance of regular diabetic eye exams is the first step toward protecting your vision.
The Connection Between Diabetes & Your Eyes
High blood sugar can impact your body in many ways, and the small, delicate blood vessels in your eyes are particularly sensitive to its effects. Over time, elevated glucose levels can damage these delicate vessels, which may lead to vision problems. That’s why managing your diabetes is a key part of maintaining clear vision.
How Blood Sugar Affects Vision
Even short-term changes in your blood sugar can cause the lens inside your eye to swell. This swelling changes the shape of the lens, which can make your vision blurry. Often, once your blood sugar returns to your target range, your vision goes back to normal.
More Than Just Blurry Vision
While temporary blurriness is common, long-term high blood sugar can cause more serious issues. It’s important to pay attention to any changes in your sight, no matter how small they seem, as such changes can be early signs of a developing eye condition.
What Causes Double Vision?
Double vision, known as diplopia, happens when you see two images of a single object. It occurs when your eyes don’t work together as a team. While several factors can cause this, diabetes may be a contributing factor.
Diabetes & Nerve Function
Diabetes can sometimes damage the nerves that control your eye muscles, a condition called cranial neuropathy. When these nerves don’t get enough blood flow, they can’t properly control the muscles. This, in turn, can cause your eyes to become misaligned, which results in you seeing double. Our eye disease management services can help identify and monitor such conditions.
Other Possible Causes
It’s also good to know that other health issues can lead to double vision. Conditions like high blood pressure, thyroid problems, or even a stroke can affect the muscles and nerves that control eye movement. An eye exam can help identify the source of the problem.
Signs Diabetes May Affect Your Eyes
Vision changes related to diabetes can happen so slowly that you might not notice them at first. Being aware of the signs can help you take action early and protect your sight.
Let an eye professional know if you experience any of the following:
- Blurry or wavy vision
- Frequent changes in your glasses or contacts prescription
- Seeing dark spots or “floaters“
- Flashes of light
- Trouble with color vision
- Partial or total vision loss, which may begin as blurry peripheral vision
Common Eye Conditions Related to Diabetes
Having diabetes increases the chances of developing certain eye conditions. Regular check-ups with an eye doctor allow for careful screening of these issues. We can often detect these issues before you notice any symptoms at all.
Diabetic Retinopathy
This condition affects the blood vessels in the retina—the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. High blood sugar can cause these vessels to weaken, bulge, or leak fluid. In early stages, there are often no warning signs, which is why understanding diabetic eye exams are so important for maintaining your health.
Cataracts & Glaucoma
People with diabetes may develop cataracts—a clouding of the eye’s lens—at an earlier age than others. They also have a higher chance of developing glaucoma, a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve. Glaucoma typically affects your peripheral vision first, so you may not notice the changes right away.
Protect Your Vision with Regular Eye Exams
Preventative care is a powerful tool for protecting your eyesight when you live with diabetes. Annual comprehensive eye exams allow a professional to look for early signs of damage or disease. This gives us the best opportunity to manage your eye health effectively.
What to Expect at Your Appointment
During an exam, we check your vision and your eye pressure. We will also likely dilate your pupils with eye drops. This allows us to get a clear, wide view of the retina, blood vessels, and optic nerve at the back of your eye.
Your Proactive Steps to Eye Health
You can take proactive steps every day to help protect your vision. Small, consistent habits make a big difference in managing the effects of diabetes on your eyes.
- Work with your health care team to manage your blood sugar.
- Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Avoid smoking.
- Schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.
A consistent relationship with an eye care professional is helpful for your long-term health. Your local eye doctor in Hercules can track changes in your vision over time and offer guidance tailored to your needs.
Your health is a journey, and we are here to support you. At Total Vision Hercules, we’re committed to providing kind and compassionate care to help you maintain your vision. Contact us to schedule your next comprehensive eye exam.
