Diabetes and the Eye

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a health condition where your body produces very little or no insulin. As insulin helps convert glucose (sugar) in food into energy, low insulin levels lead to high blood sugar.

How does diabetes affect your eyes?

Diabetes can cause blurred, changing vision, double vision or flashes or floaters in your vision. It can also contribute to the development of cataracts and glaucoma. In more severe cases, diabetes can lead to diabetic retinopathy, which if left untreated can result in blindness.

What is diabetic retinopathy and who is at risk?

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition when high blood sugar causes damages to the delicate blood vessels at the back of the eye. This leads to the leaking of blood from the vessels and the back of the eye to swell.

People with longstanding diabetes are at greater risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. Other risk factors include smoking, poor diet and high blood pressure.

What can you do?

Regular eye examinations are recommended for early detection of diabetic retinopathy. During these eye checks, if diabetic retinopathy is suspected, further treatment and management will be considered.