Your eyes on diabetes: How to protect your vision for life
People with diabetes are at greater risk for serious eye conditions that can lead to vision loss. But with the right care, you can lower your risk and safeguard your sight for life.
When you have diabetes, you have a greater chance of developing diabetic eye disease, a group of serious eye conditions that can harm your vision.
Taking care of your eyes is important, especially because certain diabetes-related eye conditions don’t always show symptoms early on. And the longer you have diabetes, the greater the risk of developing some type of diabetic eye disease.
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Conditions to look out for
Having high blood sugar can eventually damage the nerves and blood vessels throughout your body, including the eyes, and lead to various kinds of diabetic eye disease.
These diseases include diabetic retinopathy, when damaged blood vessels in the retina swell and leak, and diabetic macular edema, when fluid builds up in the macula (part of the retina). People with diabetes also have a greater chance of having cataracts or glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve.
Depending on the type of diabetic eye disease, your symptoms may include blurry or distorted vision, difficulty reading or doing close-up work, blind spots, flashes of light or eye floaters. But even without symptoms, these eye conditions can eventually cause blindness.
The good news is that there are ways to keep your eyes healthy. Here’s what to add to your diabetes care regimen.
Get regular eye exams
Getting an eye exam once a year can help an eye doctor find and treat any problems before they get serious. In fact, the National Eye Institute says early detection and treatment for diabetic eye disease can lower the risk of blindness by 95%.
If you’re newly diagnosed with diabetes, let the eye doctor know you’re coming in for a diabetic eye exam. That way, they can specifically focus on the inner workings of your eyes. During your visit, the eye doctor will give you a dilated eye exam. They’ll use eye drops to enlarge your pupils so they can check the back of each eye, particularly your retina, optic nerve and blood vessels, where damage shows up first.
Medications your way
Avoid smoking — or quit
Smoking can damage your blood vessels even more, including those in your eyes. This harmful habit can put you at greater risk of developing cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, people who smoke cigarettes are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop cataracts than nonsmokers.
Eat foods that benefit the eyes
There are certain foods that help control your blood sugar and boost eye health. Vitamins and minerals such as A, C, E, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein and zeaxanthin are sight-saving superstars. Find them in the following foods:
- Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, collard greens)
- Sweet potatoes
- Beans
- Citrus fruits and berries
- Salmon and tuna
- Almonds
- Whole grains
Control blood pressure and cholesterol
Along with monitoring your blood sugar, it’s important to keep tabs on your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Elevated numbers of all three can worsen diabetic eye disease. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the retina. It can also cause a stroke, which can harm the optic nerve or damage the part of the brain responsible for processing images. High LDL (“bad” cholesterol) has been linked to a greater risk of developing glaucoma. Regular exercise can help keep your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers in check.
Cover your eyes when you’re outdoors
Harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun can increase your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy or getting cataracts at a younger age. Wear sunglasses whenever you go outside, even on cloudy days. The National Eye Institute recommends looking for sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays.
