According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diabetes ranks among the top ten causes of disability in the U.S. adult population. Furthermore, diabetes is implicated in at least three other major causes of disability including heart disease, blindness and stroke. According to the American Diabetic Association (ADA), people with diabetes are at a greater risk of blindness. In a recent study, the CDC forecasted drastic increases in the incidence of blindness and eye disease due to the current epidemic of diabetes. Diabetes affects the eye by causing significant damage to vital structures including the retina, optic nerve, lens and vitreous humor.
Diabetic retinopathy
According to the CDC/Vision Health Initiative, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. adult population. It is a common complication of diabetes. The small vessels in the light-sensitive retina undergo significant damage in stages, resulting in impaired vision and eventual blindness.
In diabetic retinopathy, there is an initial weakening and ballooning of the small arteries in the retina, leading to the formation of microaneurysms. Further damage leads to the clogging of these arteries and loss of blood supply to segments of the retina. There is also fluid leakage into the macula of the eye, causing macular edema. Up to this point, the retinal damage is called non-proliferative retinopathy.
The last stage of retinal damage, proliferative retinopathy (vision threatening diabetic retinopathy or VTDR), is neovascular proliferation, whereby new and weaker vessels try to grow to overcome the clogged blood supply. These new vessels break easily, bleeding into the vitreous, causing scarring, eventual retinal detachment and blindness.
Signs of diabetic retinopathy, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearing House of the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, include blurry or double vision, flashing lights, rings or blank spots, dark or floating spots, pain or pressure in one or both eyes, and trouble seeing out of the corner of your eyes.
Glaucoma
According to ADA, diabetics are 40 percent more likely to suffer from glaucoma. This is a disease marked by a buildup of pressure in the anterior chamber of the eye, eventually affecting the blood supply to the retina and optic nerve. Signs of glaucoma include occasional pressure in the eye, headaches and loss of peripheral vision. If untreated, this eventually leads to blindness.
Cataracts
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide and the leading cause of vision loss in all ages in the U.S., according to the CDC/Vision Health Initiative. A cataract is the clouding of the transparent lens of the eye, blocking the passage of light. According to the American Diabetic Association, diabetics are 60 percent more prone to develop cataracts than the rest of the population, and the condition develops at a younger age in diabetics.
About this Author
IkechiK is an international medical graduate with U.S credentials and over 15 years of general medical practice experience in diverse cultural backgrounds. He has been delivering health education talks and writing health related content during that period for diverse audiences, from small group periodicals to informational websites. Based in Alexandria, IkechiK is pursuing further studies in Preventive Medicine.
