Your eyes may seem fine, but having a full, dilated eye exam is the only way to know for sure. Often, there are no warning signs of diabetic eye disease or vision loss when damage first develops. A full, dilated eye exam helps your doctor find and treat eye problems early—often before much vision loss can occur.
Blurry vision and floaters are among the symptoms of diabetic eye disease. About 30.3 million adults in the U.S. have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and 90% of them have Type 2 diabetes – their bodies don't handle insulin well and can't maintain normal blood sugar levels.
There is no cure for diabetic retinopathy. But treatment works very well to prevent, delay, or reduce vision loss. The sooner the condition is found, the easier it is to treat. And it's more likely that vision will be saved.
Eye diseases that can affect people with diabetes include diabetic retinopathy, macular edema (which usually develops along with diabetic retinopathy), cataracts, and glaucoma. All can lead to vision loss, but early diagnosis and treatment can go a long way toward protecting your eyesight.
Medicines called anti-VEGF drugs can slow down or reverse diabetic retinopathy. Other medicines, called corticosteroids, can also help. Laser treatment. To reduce swelling in your retina, eye doctors can use lasers to make the blood vessels shrink and stop leaking.
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.
Doing this can help a person manage diabetes and reduce their risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. It is advisable to focus on whole foods, such as lean proteins, non-starchy vegetables, and whole grains. People can also make other lifestyle choices, such as getting regular exercise.
Your eye doctor can identify diabetes by looking at the retina's blood vessels. These tiny vessels can leak fluid or blood when you have diabetic retinopathy, which only develops when you have diabetes. Some patients may develop this condition before they're officially diagnosed with diabetes.
What does diabetes blurred vision look like? It will depend on the cause. Overall, there may be a lack of sharpness and difficulty seeing fine details. People with diabetic retinopathy may also notice an increase in floaters, strings, and spots in the field of vision.
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.
Diabetic retinopathy can cause the blood vessels in the retina to leak or become blocked and damage your sight. Typically, diabetic patients will develop diabetic retinopathy after they have had diabetes for between 3-5 years.
Optimal combinations of vitamins B1, B2, B6, L-methylfolate, methylcobalamin (B12), C, D, natural vitamin E complex, lutein, zeaxanthin, alpha-lipoic acid, and n-acetylcysteine are identified for protecting the retina and choroid. Certain medical foods have been successfully used as therapy for retinopathy.
Coffee consumption may protect people with diabetes from vision loss and blindness. A study involving the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) shows that moderate and high caffeine consumption is associated with a 65% reduction of the risk of suffering diabetic retinopathy in people with type 2 diabetes.
For diabetic retinopathy that is threatening or affecting your sight, the main treatments are: laser treatment – to treat the growth of new blood vessels at the back of the eye (retina) in cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and to stabilise some cases of maculopathy.
A problem in any part of the eye can cause sudden blurry vision, but when present in only one eye, it may be a medical emergency. It should be evaluated and treated by a physician as soon as possible — to prevent permanent damage and vision loss.
Blurry vision is common and can result from relatively minor conditions such as a migraine or eyestrain. It can also be a side effect of a serious condition that requires immediate treatment. These conditions include stroke, preeclampsia, a concussion, and wet AMD.
Twice-daily eye drops containing neuroprotective agents could be used successfully to treat diabetic retinopathy, research suggests. In a two-year trial the specialist drops were compared to placebo drops and shown to significantly slow the progression of neurodegeneration (decrease in nerve function) of the retina.