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Diabetes: Complications
DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: Eye Disease
PPREVENT DIABETES PROBLEMS: KEEP YOUR EYES HEALTHY On this page:
What are diabetes problems? Too much glucose (sugar) in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This high blood glucose (also called blood sugar) can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. Heart and blood vessel disease can lead to heart attacks and strokes. You can do a lot to prevent or slow down diabetes problems. This booklet is about eye problems caused by diabetes. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems. [Top] What should I do each day to stay healthy with diabetes?
[Top] What can I do to prevent diabetes eye problems?
How can diabetes hurt my eyes? High blood glucose and high blood pressure from diabetes can hurt four parts of your eye:
How can diabetes hurt the retinas of my eyes? Retina damage happens slowly. Your retinas have tiny blood vessels that are easy to damage. Having high blood glucose and high blood pressure for a long time can damage these tiny blood vessels. First, these tiny blood vessels swell and weaken. Some blood vessels then become clogged and do not let enough blood through. At first, you might not have any loss of sight from these changes. This is why you need to have a dilated eye exam once a year even if your sight seems fine. One of your eyes may be damaged more than the other. Or both eyes may have the same amount of damage. Diabetic retinopathy (REH-tih-NOP-uh-thee) is the medical term for the most common diabetes eye problem. [Top] What happens as diabetes retina problems get worse? As diabetes retina problems get worse, new blood vessels grow. These new blood vessels are weak. They break easily and leak blood into the vitreous of your eye. The leaking blood keeps light from reaching the retina. You may see floating spots or almost total darkness. Sometimes the blood will clear out by itself. But you might need surgery to remove it. Over the years, the swollen and weak blood vessels can form scar tissue and pull the retina away from the back of the eye. If the retina becomes detached, you may see floating spots or flashing lights. You may feel as if a curtain has been pulled over part of what you are looking at. A detached retina can cause loss of sight or blindness if you don't take care of it right away. Call your eye care professional right away if you are having any vision problems or if you have had a sudden change in your vision. [Top] What can I do about diabetes retina problems? First, keep your blood glucose and blood pressure as close to normal as you can. Your eye care professional may suggest laser treatment, which is when a light beam is aimed into the retina of the damaged eye. The beam closes off leaking blood vessels. It may stop blood and fluid from leaking into the vitreous. Laser treatment may slow the loss of sight. If a lot of blood has leaked into your vitreous and your sight is poor, your eye care professional might suggest you have surgery called a vitrectomy (vih-TREK-tuh-mee). A vitrectomy removes blood and fluids from the vitreous of your eye. Then clean fluid is put back into the eye. The surgery can make your eyesight better. [Top] How do I know if I have retina damage from diabetes? You may not get any signs of diabetes retina damage or you may get one or more signs:
What other eye problems can diabetes cause? You can get two other eye problems–cataracts and glaucoma. People without diabetes can get these eye problems, too. But people with diabetes get them more often and at a younger age.
For More Information Eye Care Professionals (ophthalmologists, optometrists) To find an eye care professional near you, ask your doctor for a recommendation, contact a nearby hospital or medical school, or call a state or county association of ophthalmologists or optometrists. Look for the American Academy of Ophthalmology on the Internet at www.aoa.org and click on "Find an Eye M.D." Look for the American Optometric Association on the Internet at www.aoa.org and click on "Dr. Locator" or call 1-800-365-2219. Diabetes Teachers(nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other health professionals) To find a diabetes teacher near you, call the American Association of Diabetes Educators toll-free at 1-800-TEAMUP4 (1-800-832-6874), or look on the Internet at www.diabeteseducator.org and click on "Find an Educator." Dietitians To find a dietitian near you, call the American Dietetic Association toll-free at 1-800-366-1655, or look on the Internet at www.eatright.org and click on "Find a Nutrition Professional." Government The National Eye Institute (NEI) is part of the National Institutes of Health. To learn more about eye problems, write or call NEI, 2020 Vision Place, Bethesda, MD 20892-3655, 301-496-5248; or see www.nei.nih.gov on the Internet. To get more information about taking care of diabetes, contact National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse 1 Information Way Bethesda, MD 20892-3560 Phone: 1-800-860-8747 Fax: 703-738-4929 Email: ndic@info.niddk.nih.gov Internet: www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov National Diabetes Education Program 1 Diabetes Way Bethesda, MD 20892-3600 Phone: 1-800-438-5383 Fax: 703-738-4929 Internet: www.ndep.nih.gov American Diabetes Association 1701 North Beauregard Street Alexandria, VA 22311 Phone: 1-800-342-2383 Internet: www.diabetes.org Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International 120 Wall Street New York, NY 10005-4001 Phone: 1-800-533-2873 Internet: www.jdrf.org [Top] More in the Series The "Prevent Diabetes Problems" series includes seven booklets that can help you learn more about how to prevent diabetes problems. The Prevent Diabetes Problems series of 7 booklets
For free single copies of these booklets, write, call, fax, or email the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse 1 Information Way Bethesda, MD 20892-3560 Phone: 1-800-860-8747 Fax: 703-738-4929 Email: ndic@info.niddk.nih.gov These booklets are also available at www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov on the Internet. [Top] Acknowledgments The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse thanks the people who helped review or field-test this publication. For American Association of Diabetes Educators Lynn Grieger, R.D., C.D.E. Arlington, VT Celia Levesque, R.N., C.D.E. Montgomery, AL Teresa McMahon, Pharm.D., C.D.E. Seattle, WA Barbara Schreiner, R.N., M.N., C.D.E. Galveston, TX For American Diabetes Association Phyllis Barrier, M.S., R.D., C.D.E. Alexandria, VA Linda Haas, Ph.C., R.N., C.D.E. Seattle, WA Kathleen Mahoney, M.S.N., R.N., C.D.E. Drexel Hill, PA Randi Kington, M.S., R.N., C.S., C.D.E. Hartford, CT For Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Baltimore, MD Jan Drass, R.N., C.D.E. For Diabetes Research and Training Centers Albert Einstein School of Medicine Norwalk Hospital Norwalk, CT Jill Ely, R.N., C.D.E. Sam Engel, M.D. Pam Howard, A.P.R.N., C.D.E. Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, IN Madelyn Wheeler, M.S., R.D., F.A.D.A., C.D.E. VA/JDF Diabetes Research Center Vanderbilt School of Medicine Nashville, TN Ok Chon Allison, M.S.N., R.N.C.S., A.N.P., C.D.E. Barbara Backer, B.S. James W. Pichert, Ph.D. Alvin Powers, M.D. Melissa E. Schweikhart Michael B. Smith Kathleen Wolffe, R.N. For Grady Health System Diabetes Clinic Atlanta, GA Ernestine Baker, R.N., F.N.P., C.D.E. Kris Ernst, R.N., C.D.E. Margaret Fowke, R.D., L.D. Kay Mann, R.N., C.D.E. For Indian Health Service Albuquerque, NM Ruth Bear, R.D., C.D.E. Dorinda Bradley, R.N., C.D.E. Terry Fisher, R.N. Lorraine Valdez, R.N., C.D.E. Red Lake, MN Charmaine Branchaud, B.S.N., R.N., C.D.E. For Medlantic Research Center Washington, DC Resa Levetan, M.D. For National Eye Institute Bethesda, MD Judith Stein For Texas Diabetes Council Texas Department of Health Austin, TX Luby Garza-Abijaoude, M.S., R.D., L.D. [Top] |
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