Diabetes is a disease caused by the body’s inability to produce or effectively use insulin. Individuals with diabetes are prone to higher than normal blood sugar levels, which can cause damage to organs, blood vessels and nerves.
A few symptoms of diabetes include:
- Blurry vision
- Thirsty more than usual
- Frequent urination
- Sudden weight change (gain or loss)
- Extreme fatigue or lack of energy
Diabetes can cause temporary or permanent vision loss. This is why annual eye exams are so important to those with diabetes. During an eye exam, your Stoney Creek optometrist will be able to detect the presence of diabetes in your eye as well as diabetes-related eye problems including:
- Diabetic retinopathy: Caused by leaking of tiny blood vessels inside your eye
- Glaucoma: Associated with increased eye pressure
- Cataracts: Can cause cloudy vision, glare and reduced vision
- Reduced corneal sensitivity: Due to damage to the nerve endings of the cornea
- Fluctuating or blurry vision
- Occasional double vision
- Loss of visual field
Our Stoney Creek optometrists highly recommend annual eye exams to monitor for any changes to your eyes from diabetes. Book your appointment today, call 289-309-1090!
Reference: optom.on.ca. (2021). [online] Available at: https://members.optom.on.ca/OAO/Patients/Library/Diabetes_and_the_eyes.aspx
