Slideshow: Diabetic Retinopathy And Other Diabetes Eye Problems
Yes. You should plan to make regular eye doctor visits when you have diabetes. High blood sugar can lead to problems like blurry vision, cataracts, glaucoma, and retinopathy. In fact, diabetes is the primary cause of blindness in adults ages 20 to 74. Don't buy new glasses as soon as you notice that things look blurry. It could just be a small problem caused by high blood sugar. Your lens could swell, which changes your ability to see. To correct it, you need to get your blood sugar back into the target range (70-130 milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dL, before meals, and less than 180 mg/dL 1 to 2 hours after a meal). It may take as long as 3 months for your vision to fully get back to normal. Do tell your eye doctor. She can let you know if this is a symptom of a more serious problem. The lens allows your eye to see and focus on an image, just like a camera. Cataracts cloud your normally clear lens with debris. Anyone can get them, but people with diabetes tend to get them earlier, and they get worse faster. When part of your lens is cloudy, your eye can’t focus like it should. You won't see as well. Symptoms include blurred vision and glare. You’ll need surgery to remove a cataract. The doctor replaces the cloudy lens with an artificial one. Pressure builds up inside your eye when fluid can’t drain like it should. This can damage nerves and blood vessels, and cause changes in vision. Medications can treat open-angle glaucoma, the most common form. They lower eye pressure, speed up drainage, and reduce the amount of liquid your eye makes. (Your doctor will call this aqueous humor.) *CGM-based treatment requires fingersticks for calibration, if patient is taking acetaminophen, or if symptoms/expectations do not match CGM readings, and if not performed, may result i Continue reading >>
Women With Type 2 Diabetes At Greater Risk For Glaucoma
Women with type 2 diabetes have a nearly twofold increased risk of developing primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the disease. Among more than 76,000 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study, those with type 2 diabetes had a relative risk for glaucoma of 1.82 even after the data were controlled for various glaucoma risk factors, said Louis R. Pasquale, M.D., and colleagues of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and other Harvard-affiliated institutions. "While obesity fuels the type 2 diabetes epidemic, it appears that factors unrelated to obesity contribute to the positive association between type 2 diabetes and glaucoma; we were surprised to find this. "Our study had a large enough sample to allow us to focus on type 2 diabetes only and to study its relation to newly diagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma cases," they added. "We were also able to correct for other factors that could contribute to glaucoma. Our work suggests, but in no way proves, that factors other than lifestyle behavior contributing to insulin resistance could lead to elevated intraocular pressure and glaucoma." Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease, accounting for about 60% to 70% of all glaucoma cases. It’s one of the leading causes of blindness, and affects more than two million people in the United States, according to the National Eye Institute. In several large eye studies, type 2 diabetes has been associated with increased intraocular pressure, the most obvious sign of primary open-angle glaucoma. But although diabetes has been conclusively linked to retinopathy, its alleged association with glaucoma is controversial, Dr. Pasquale and colleagues wrote. To see whether there is an association between type 2 diabetes and glaucoma, the inves Continue reading >>
Eye Problems And Diabetes
Eye problems and diabetes introduction If you have diabetes, regular visits to your ophthalmologist for eye exams are important to avoid eye problems. High blood sugar (glucose) increases the risk of diabetes eye problems. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults age 20 to 74. If you have eye problems and diabetes, don't buy a new pair of glasses as soon as you notice you have blurred vision. It could just be a temporary eye problem that develops rapidly with diabetes and is caused by high blood sugar levels. High blood sugar in diabetes causes the lens of the eye to swell, which changes your ability to see. To correct this kind of eye problem, you need to get your blood sugar back into the target range (90-130 milligrams per deciliter or mg/dL before meals, and less than 180 mg/dL one to two hours after a meal). It may take as long as three months after your blood sugar is well controlled for your vision to fully get back to normal. Blurred vision can also be a symptom of more serious eye problem with diabetes. The three major eye problems that people with diabetes may develop and should be aware of are cataracts, glaucoma, and retinopathy. A cataract is a clouding or fogging of the normally clear lens of the eye. The lens is what allows us to see and focus on an image just like a camera. Although anyone can get cataracts, people with diabetes get these eye problems at an earlier age than most and the condition progresses more rapidly than in people without diabetes. If you have a cataract, there is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye that results in the inability to focus light, and your vision is impaired. Symptoms of this eye problem in diabetes include blurred or glared vision. During cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed or cleaned ou Continue reading >>
Glaucoma And Diabetes
Glaucoma is caused by excess fluid pressing on the nerve at the back of the eye Glaucoma may occur amongst people with and without diabetes, and can be a complication of diabetes if retinopathy develops. Glaucoma is caused by an excess amount of fluid pressing on the nerve at the back of the eye. The eye produces a small amount of fluid like water in its middle chamber, which flows around the lens of the eye into the front chamber. The fluid leaves the eye using a drainage network and then enters the bloodstream. Commonly, glaucoma causes the drainage system to become blocked, and fluid becomes trapped in the eye. This causes pressure to build up in the eye and pass to the nerve at the rear of the eye . This nerve may become damaged by glaucoma. People with diabetic retinopathy have an increased risk of glaucoma. This can happen if abnormal blood vessel growth, which can occur as a result of retinopathy, blocks the natural drainage of the eye. Glaucoma has very few symptoms in its early stage, so people may be unaware that something is wrong with them. As someone with diabetes, an optometrist or another eye specialist should test you for glaucoma at least once each year. Glaucoma may be diagnosed by an optometrist by measuring your eye pressure, checking the eye at the optic nerve, and testing the field of your vision. A common test these days is a noncontact tonometry test (NCT test) in which a brief puff of air will be directed into the front of your eye. The machine you sit in front of measures the resistance of your eye to the puff of air without needing to make contact with your eye. The puff of air is noticeable but is not painful. Experts will quickly be able to determine if you have glaucoma. Glaucoma will usually be treated with eye drops to relieve pressure i Continue reading >>
Presence And Risk Factors For Glaucoma In Patients With Diabetes
Go to: INTRODUCTION Diabetes mellitus represents a significant public health issue which has become increasingly prevalent due to changes and trends in diet, lifestyle, and consequently, the rate of obesity [1]. Since 1980, the worldwide prevalence of diabetes has nearly quadrupled to an estimated 422 million affected persons in 2014 [2]. As a result, global health care expenditures for diabetes are expected to total as much as 490 billion United States dollars by the year 2030, comprising an estimated 12% of total health care costs [3]. The burden of diabetes on the health care system is manifest in many different ways. Diabetic patients require more outpatient visits, chronic medications, and are at risk for a number of systemic microvascular complications that result in end organ damage and associated complications: renal disease, cardiovascular disease, amputations, vision loss, and premature death [3]. In particular, vision loss from diabetic retinopathy (DR) represents one of the most devastating complications on quality of life and is the leading cause of blindness in working age and economically active adults [4–7]. An older survey among diabetic patients in the United States reported a prevalence of self-rated visual impairment as high as 24.8% [8]. Current estimates of the prevalence of DR have been estimated as 34.6% among all patients with diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) and as a result, the implications of diabetic eye disease are far-reaching [9]. In addition to retinopathy, diabetes has been associated with a number of other potentially vision-threatening ocular complications including cataract, uveitis, and glaucoma [10–13]. Glaucoma represents the leading cause of worldwide irreversible blindness, as defined by best-corrected central visual acuity Continue reading >>
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Diabetes And Risk Of Glaucoma: Systematic Review And A Meta-analysis Of Prospective Cohort Studies
Diabetes and risk of glaucoma: systematic review and a Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies Department of Outpatient Service, the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 310020, Zhejiang Province, China Correspondence to: Xiang-Wu Chen. Department of Outpatient Service, the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 310020, Zhejiang Province, China. [email protected]_uwgnaixnehc Received 2016 Dec 19; Accepted 2017 Jun 26. Copyright International Journal of Ophthalmology Press To quantify the association between diabetes and glaucoma using Meta-analysis. PubMed and Embase were searched using medical subject headings and key words related to diabetes and glaucoma. The inclusion criteria were: 1) the study design was a prospective cohort study; 2) the exposure of interest was diabetes; 3) the outcome of interest was primary open angle glaucoma (POAG); 4) risk ratios (RR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). Data were pooled using fixed effects models to take into account heterogeneity between studies. Seven prospective studies were selected. Diabetes increased the incidence of glaucoma by 36% (OR=1.36, 95% CI=1.25-1.50). There was no evidence of statistical heterogeneity (I2=0, P=0.53) or publication bias (the funnel plot did not identify obvious asymmetry). Seven prospective cohort studies were incorporated in this Meta-analysis. The pooled RR of the association between POAG and diabetes based on the risk estimates of the seven cohort studies was 1.36 (95%CI=1.24-1.50), with no significant heterogeneity across studies (I2=0; P=0.526). The sensitivity analysis yielded a range of RRs from 1.34 (95%CI=1.22-1.48) to1.40 (95%CI=1.18-1.67). Diabetes is associated with a significantly increased risk of glaucoma. Keywords: primary open angle Continue reading >>
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Does Diabetes Cause Glaucoma?
Diabetes affects more than 29 million Americans today. The most common type of diabetes is type II diabetes, or adult-onset diabetes, which typically affects adults who are over 40, overweight and have an inactive lifestyle. These three precursors can increase the risk of developing other diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease. A significant percentage of diabetics also develop glaucoma, a seemingly unrelated disease. There is no doubt that a connection exists between diabetes and glaucoma, but does diabetes cause glaucoma? This is a difficult question to which doctors and researchers are still seeking answers. While we may not be able to prove that diabetes causes glaucoma, there are some interesting statistics that link these diseases: Diabetics are twice as likely to develop glaucoma as non-diabetics Someone with open-angle glaucoma (the most common type of glaucoma) is more likely to develop diabetes than someone who does not have open-angle glaucoma In some diabetics, new blood vessels grow on the iris and block the flow of eye fluid which raises inner eye pressure. This is known as neovascular glaucoma. These statistics certainly support the assertion that diabetes and glaucoma are strongly connected. Other eye diseases have a similar link to diabetes, such as cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. These conditions, along with glaucoma, are collectively referred to as diabetic eye disease. This is a general term for a group of vision problems that diabetics may develop (Source: Glaucoma Research Foundation). It may be too early to conclude that diabetes causes glaucoma, but it is clear that these diseases are not independent of one another. Therefore, preventing one of these diseases may be a key factor in preventing the development of sev Continue reading >>
The Connection Between Glaucoma, Alzheimer’s, And Diabetes
Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating illness, affecting an estimated 5.2 million Americans, according to 2013 statistics. It’s believed to be the third leading cause of death in the US, following only heart disease and cancer. It’s shockingly prevalent, with one in nine seniors over the age of 65 suffering from this severe form of dementia. While there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, research is amassing every day. And recently, scientists have begun identifying connections between Alzheimer’s and diabetes. New research suggests it isn’t just Alzheimer’s that’s linked to diabetes. Less severe forms of dementia also could be a complication of diabetes. So what’s the connection? Why would diabetes be such a major contributor to memory loss? You may know that people develop type-2 diabetes when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin or the body can’t use insulin properly to process sugar. But you may not know that the brain also makes insulin. When the brain doesn’t make enough, it affects the whole body, just like the pancreas does. In fact, one of the most severe complications of diabetes is blindness. The eyes are so directly connected to the brain that many in the medical community believe they are an extension of the brain. The impact of diabetes on your eyes is now gaining even more attention. One group of researchers in India hypothesized that the eye disease glaucoma is actually diabetes of the brain. The group made the hypothesis based on the remarkable similarities between glaucoma and diabetes. Glaucoma and diabetes have many similar characteristics, including various molecular mechanisms, the involvement of insulin, and similar treatments that work on both illnesses. With Alzheimer’s disease already considered dia Continue reading >>
Facts About Diabetic Eye Disease
Points to Remember Diabetic eye disease comprises a group of eye conditions that affect people with diabetes. These conditions include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema (DME), cataract, and glaucoma. All forms of diabetic eye disease have the potential to cause severe vision loss and blindness. Diabetic retinopathy involves changes to retinal blood vessels that can cause them to bleed or leak fluid, distorting vision. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes and a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. DME is a consequence of diabetic retinopathy that causes swelling in the area of the retina called the macula. Controlling diabetes—by taking medications as prescribed, staying physically active, and maintaining a healthy diet—can prevent or delay vision loss. Because diabetic retinopathy often goes unnoticed until vision loss occurs, people with diabetes should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Early detection, timely treatment, and appropriate follow-up care of diabetic eye disease can protect against vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy can be treated with several therapies, used alone or in combination. NEI supports research to develop new therapies for diabetic retinopathy, and to compare the effectiveness of existing therapies for different patient groups. What is diabetic eye disease? Diabetic eye disease can affect many parts of the eye, including the retina, macula, lens and the optic nerve. Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye conditions that can affect people with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy affects blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue called the retina that lines the back of the eye. It is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes Continue reading >>
Study Focuses On Relationship Between Glaucoma And Diabetes, Hypertension
Many Americans suffer from diabetes and hypertension and, according to a study by researchers at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, these individuals may have an increased risk of developing open-angle glaucoma (OAG). Dr. Joshua D. Stein Joshua D. Stein, M.D., M.S., a glaucoma specialist at Kellogg, led a research team that recently reviewed billing records of more than 2 million people aged 40 and older who were enrolled in a managed care network in the United States and who visited an eye care provider one or more times from 2001 to 2007. The researchers found that people with diabetes alone had a 35 percent increased risk of developing OAG and those with hypertension alone had a 17 percent increased risk. For people with both diabetes and hypertension, there was a 48 percent increased risk of developing OAG, the most common form of glaucoma in the country. The study focused on the possible associations between various components of metabolic syndrome—a collection of conditions that includes obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels)—that affects one fifth of the U.S. population. The Kellogg researchers also examined how each component increased or decreased the risk of glaucoma. While the researchers found that diabetes and hypertension increased the risk of OAG, the study showed that hyperlipidemia actually reduced by 5 percent the risk for developing the disease. Further research is under way to evaluate whether it is the hyperlipidemia itself, the medications used to treat the condition, or both that reduces the risk of glaucoma. Findings from this research may eventually lead to novel treatments for glaucoma. “Patients who have diabetes and hypertension are already known to be at elevated Continue reading >>
Could Glaucoma Actually Be "diabetes Of The Brain"? A New Hypothesis Says Maybe
A group of medical researchers from India is proposing the radical new hypothesis that glaucoma may indeed be diabetes of the brain. The research, entitled Glaucoma – Diabetes of the brain: A radical hypothesis about its nature and pathogenesis [i.e., the mechanisms that cause it], has been published in the May 2014 issue of Medical Hypotheses. Published by Elsevier Inc., Medical Hypotheses is a forum for ideas in medicine and related biomedical sciences, publishing "interesting and important theoretical papers that foster the diversity and debate upon which the scientific process thrives." The authors are Muneeb A. Faiq; Rima Dada; Daman Saluja; and Tanuj Dada, who represent the following institutions: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi India; and the University of Delhi, India. [Editor's note: In science, a hypothesis is an idea or explanation that is then tested through structured study and experimentation. It is more than a guess, but less than a well-established theory. A scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing then becomes a scientific theory.] What Is Glaucoma? The term "glaucoma" describes a group of eye diseases that can lead to blindness by damaging the optic nerve. It is one of the leading causes of vision loss and blindness. The human eye continuously produces a fluid, called the aqueous, that must drain from the eye to maintain healthy eye pressure. In primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of glaucoma, the eye's drainage canals become blocked, and the fluid accumulation causes pressure to build within the eye. This pressure can cause damage to the optic nerve, which transmits information from the eye to the brain. Normal-tension glaucoma, also called low-tension glaucoma, is a type of glaucoma in which individuals Continue reading >>
The Connection Between Sugar And Glaucoma
Is there are connection between sugar and glaucoma? The relationship between glaucoma and sugar diseases such as diabetes is confusing and controversial. The first thing to realize is that there is type 1 and type 2 diabetes as well as many different types of glaucoma. In the first type of diabetes, the beta cells in the pancreas no longer make diabetes. In the second type of diabetes, insulin-making cells are not destroyed. Patients with this type make more insulin than non-diabetics. However, the high blood sugar is not lowered by the increase in insulin due to insulin resistance. In type 1 diabetes, insulin replacement therapy is the treatment. On the other hand, lifestyle measures are taken to deal with type 2 as well as medications. Various Glaucoma Types Since there are various types of glaucoma as well, there needs to be a determination of the type of diabetes there is as well as the type of glaucoma in order to determine the relationship. One thing that is certain is that a long period of uncontrolled diabetes of both types will lead to poor blood supply to the retina and leaking blood vessels. The retina starves for oxygen. A Word About Open-Angle Glaucoma and Diabetes For years, researchers have been intrigued by the most common glaucoma type called open-angle glaucoma and diabetes. Compared to people with no diabetes, those with the disease have twice the likelihood of developing glaucoma in comparison. In the same way, there is a higher chance of someone with open-angle glaucoma compared to someone who does not have the disease. Diabetic Eye Disease For diabetics, diabetic eye disease is a common complication. This term refers to eye problems that a group of people with diabetics develops. One of them is glaucoma. Diabetic eye disease also includes cataracts Continue reading >>
Glaucoma And Diabetes: Can Diabetes Affect Your Eyes?
People with diabetes are twice as likely to be at risk of having glaucoma compared to people without diabetes. We will first look at how the eye works, what glaucoma is, followed by the relationship between glaucoma and diabetes. Clara’s story Clara’s eyes were feeling tired all of the time. She was attributing the tiredness to her Type 2 diabetes, but she wasn’t too sure about it. That’s why she contacted TheDiabetesCouncil to raise her concerns about the increasing pressure in her eyes. Her left eye had suddenly become red, and she was experiencing sharp pain in her eyes. She had somewhat of a headache, too. After hearing about Clara’s symptoms, she was advised to see her eye doctor for an examination, as glaucoma was suspected. Clara got in touch with us to report that she had been to her ophthalmologist, and she had been diagnosed with the most common type of glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma. She was using some drops in both eyes, and she relayed that she was feeling better, and that the pain in her eye and other symptoms have subsided. To help others in Clara’s situation, we have written this comprehensive guide about glaucoma and diabetes. How does the eye work? If you want to understand eye diseases, specifically glaucoma, it’s important to understand how the eye operates. It’s an incredible, wonderful organ! Without our eyes, we could not see the world around us. The eye is a spherically shaped organ that has a tough outer surface. The covering in the front of the eye is curvy. This covering is called the cornea. The cornea is responsible for focusing light. It also serves to protect the eye. Light makes its way through the eye by way of the anterior chamber. In this chamber, there is fluid called aqueous humor that the light travels through. Light Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Your Eyesight
Diabetes is a complex disease resulting from the inability of the body to produce insulin, a hormone that takes sugar out of the blood and into cells where it can be used for energy. Without enough insulin, there is too much sugar in your blood. It’s like having a car full of gas but no key; you have the fuel you need, but can’t start using it. Diabetes affects more than 29 million Americans. The most common form of diabetes is adult-onset diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes typically strikes those who are over 40, overweight and have a sedentary lifestyle. Other risk factors include those with a family history of diabetes and those belonging to certain ethnic groups. Persons of African, Native American, Japanese, Latino or Polynesian descent are more at risk. Diabetic Eye Disease A common complication of diabetes is diabetic eye disease. Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of sight-threatening eye problems that people with diabetes may develop. Glaucoma is one of these diseases. Diabetic eye disease also includes diabetic retinopathy and cataracts. Diabetic retinopathy, a disease which damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye) is the most common diabetic eye disease. Diabetic retinopathy affects nearly 7.7 million Americans age 40 and older. A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens that results in blurring of normal vision. People with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to develop cataracts as other adults. Cataracts also tend to develop at an earlier age. Diabetes and Glaucoma The relationship between diabetes and open-angle glaucoma (the most common type of glaucoma), has intrigued researchers for years. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop glaucoma as are non-diabetics, although som Continue reading >>
Is There A Link Between Diabetes And Glaucoma?
Is There a Link Between Diabetes and Glaucoma? Although the most important identified risk factor for open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is elevated intraocular pressure, a number of other factors, including ethnicity and systemic conditions, may come into play. Ethnicity has proved a potent risk factor, with blacks having a higher risk for OAG and developing more severe optic neuropathy than whites. More recently, research into the Hispanic-American population has shown a high rate of OAG (4.7%) among Latinos.[ 1 ] Based in part on reduced ocular blood flow, researchers suspect that cardiovascular diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, may also play a role. Prior population-based studies, however, have found variable results when assessing an association between diabetes and OAG.[ 2 , 3 ] Now, the authors of the large, population-based Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) have sought to determine whether there is an association between type 2 diabetes and OAG in Latinos. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and the Risk of Open-Angle Glaucoma -- The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study Chopra V, Varma R, Francis BA, Wu J, Torres M, Azen SP Patients in LALES were diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes if they were over 30 years of age when the diagnosis was made and if they had either a random blood sugar > 200 mg/L or glycosylated hemoglobin of 7% or higher. Of the 5894 participants in the cross-sectional study, 1157 had type 2 diabetes and 288 had OAG. The prevalence of OAG was 40% higher in those with type 2 diabetes, compared with those without diabetes, and a longer duration of diabetes was associated with a higher rate of OAG. The authors noted that this report marks the first of an association between type 2 diabetes and OAG. They speculate that the conflicting results may be due to the presence Continue reading >>
