How diabetes affects the eyes
People with diabetes can develop a range of eye problems because high blood sugar damages the small blood vessels in the eye. It can cause blurred vision and, over time, serious conditions such as glaucoma and cataract.
The most common diabetic eye problem is diabetic retinopathy. It damages the blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. In later stages, new blood vessels can grow over the retina and form scar tissue, which can lead to retinal detachment and loss of sight. If abnormal blood vessels grow on the iris, a form of glaucoma can develop. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness in adults, and people with diabetes carry a considerably higher risk of vision loss than people without it.
When to see a doctor
Blurred vision is a symptom of several eye diseases, but it can also be a minor, temporary effect of high blood sugar. If that is the cause, bringing blood sugar back into the target range usually restores normal vision. If vision does not recover, or gets worse, see an eye doctor, because one of the conditions above may be developing. Each condition needs its own treatment, and some need surgery.
Assessment and treatment
Spanish Eye Clinic in Dubai offers assessment, treatment plans and surgery for the eye conditions linked to diabetes. Our ophthalmologists first identify the problem, then build an individual plan around it using current diagnostic and treatment technology.