Discovering and treating eye complications associated with diabetes can prevent more severe conditions from occurring, including blindness. Left untreated, cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy may be diagnosed. Eye disorders are often caused by high blood sugar and blood pressure. These disorders affect the retina, lens and optic nerve as well as the vitreous, or liquid in the back of the eye.The National Institutes of Health encourages diabetics to have an eye exam yearly from an ophthalmologist or optometrist.
Blurred and Cloudy Vision
Vision appears blurred due to high levels of sugar removing fluid from the eye tissue, including the lens, or retina, according to MayoClinic.com. Cloudy or hazy vision is common for patients with cataracts. Cataract occurs when a cloud forms in the eye lens, which is normally clear. Diabetics are diagnosed more often with cataracts than nondiabetics and at a younger age, points out the National Institutes of Health. Cataract surgery is performed to restore vision and is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with 3 million surgeries occurring yearly, advises Allaboutvision.com.
Vision Disturbances
A diabetic may see dots, lines or experience incidents of total darkness due to retina problems, also recognized as retinopathy. High blood pressure and blood sugars cause the small capillaries attached to the retina to swell and weaken, explains the National Institutes of Health. The blood vessels may leak fluid or become clogged. Symptoms go undetected until the disease process has severely progressed. Eventually scar tissue around the damaged blood vessels pulls the retina from the eye. Once the retina detaches, occurrences of flashing lights, spots and other unusual visual disturbances appear. Blindness results if treatment is not received.
Peripheral Vision Loss
Peripheral vision loss is a common symptom when a person suffers from glaucoma, a common eye disorder in diabetics. Increased eye pressure damages the optic nerve, resulting in the loss of side vision. The Glaucoma Research Foundation advises patients to receive annual pupil dilation tests to check for glaucoma. Loss of peripheral vision goes undetected for long periods of time in some patients. A glaucoma test will recognize the increased eye pressure often before a patient knows vision problems are present.
