| You may be asking yourself, "If diabetes is a | | | | your eye (used for fine detail focus). |
| disease of the pancreas, what's it got to do with | | | | Maculopathy occurs when the macula region of |
| my eye sight?" The answer is a lot. Diabetes | | | | the retina is affected by background retinopathy, |
| sufferers are at higher risk of contracting | | | | and your ability to see fine detail (such as objects |
| cataracts, blurred vision and diabetic retinopathy. | | | | in the distance or small print on a screen) is |
| These are all potentially blinding, but easy to treat | | | | affected. Your peripheral vision is maintained, and |
| if diagnosed early enough, which means it is very | | | | it is rare for someone with maculopathy to lose all |
| important to attend your yearly eye | | | | his or her vision. |
| examinations. | | | | Proliferative retinopathy is the formation of new |
| Blurred vision is usually only temporary, and may | | | | blood vessels to replace those damaged by |
| be one of the first symptoms of diabetes, but | | | | background retinopathy. These new vessels |
| may also occur at any time if your diabetes is not | | | | grow over the retina and into the vitreous gel, |
| kept under control. This causes the lens to swell, | | | | causing retinal detachment, as scar tissue forms |
| resulting in the blurred vision. When your | | | | and distorts the retina. This is very rare, but |
| diabetes is brought back under control the blurring | | | | loss of sight is sudden and serious, usually caused |
| will go away, and your eyesight shouldn't require | | | | by the bleeding of the new blood vessels and |
| other treatment. | | | | retinal detachment. |
| Clouding of the lens, also know as a cataract, is | | | | Diabetic retinopathy can be treated with laser |
| usually associated with older people, but diabetics | | | | therapy, in which the leaking blood vessels are |
| are prone to them at an earlier age. This | | | | sealed, or in proliferative retinopathy, some may |
| clouding prevents light reaching the retina in the | | | | be killed off by the laser. Laser therapy does |
| back of the eye, causing vision to become blurred | | | | not improve your eyesight, it can only preserve |
| or dim. Cataracts are treated by removing the | | | | it. The earlier retinopathy is diagnosed and |
| clouded lens and replacing it with a plastic one, | | | | treated, the better your quality of sight that can |
| allowing the eye to function normally again. | | | | be preserved, meaning it is important for you to |
| Diabetic retinopathy is graded, depending on its | | | | make and attend annual eye examinations. |
| severity, and if left untreated can lead to loss of | | | | These conditions are rare, but very serious. It is |
| sight. The first stage is background retinopathy, | | | | important to keep your diabetes under control, |
| where the blood vessels in the retina swell and | | | | through diet, exercise and remembering to take |
| may haemorrhage or leak fluid. This does not | | | | your insulin to prevent the risk of losing your |
| affect your eyesight, or the macula region of | | | | sight. |