Vision changes of prediabetes

Vision Changes Could Be Caused by Prediabetes

Nearly three million people in the U.S. have vision problems that can’t be corrected with glasses and are partly related to diabete mellitus. According to a JAMA study prediabetes and diabetes mellitus may be significant contributing factors.

High blood sugar levels damage small blood vessels throught the body. One place a doctor can actually see this damage is in the eyes, causing them to leak blood and potentially destroy vision. The macula—which provides the sharp, central vision needed for reading, driving and seeing fine detail—is especially susceptible to to blood vessel damage, as it is fed by these small blood vessels.

Blurred vision can be a symptom of prediabetes. People who progress to diabetes can develop serious eye conditions, such as diabetic retinopathy, which can eventually lead to blindness. Glaucoma and cataracts are two other vision problems that may be common in people with diabetes. Patients experiencing vision changes should consider getting their blood sugars checked.

What are the long term complications if you do nothing about prediabetes?

• Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy can worsen into proliferative retinopathy, causing blindness.

• Once a person is diagnosed with diabetes, he or she is 40% more likely to develop glaucoma.

• A person with diabetes is 60% more likely to develop cataracts.