Diabetes and Your Eyes — What’s the Connection?

Learn the facts about diabetes’ effects on vision and eye health.

You probably know that diabetes affects the whole body. The disease can develop into multiple complications, from stroke to heart disease. But did you know it can have a serious impact on eye health? It’s true. In fact, one of the first warning signs of diabetes is blurred vision. If you have diabetes, there are several eye conditions to watch out for:

• Cataracts — A clouding of the eye’s lens, cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes.
• Glaucoma — People with diabetes are almost twice as likely to develop it.
• Diabetic retinopathy — A complication of diabetes, this is the leading cause of blindness in the United States in people ages 20 to 74 years old. It occurs when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina. The blood vessels weaken and begin to leak fluid.

Talk with your eye doctor about any symptoms or concerns you have. Make sure you have a dilated eye exam at least once per year, discuss all vision changes with your doctor, and follow your diabetic diet and exercise plan. If you do develop an eye condition, treatment options may reduce or delay vision complications.

>> Learn more about diabetes and your eyes.

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