Manage Your Eye Health with a Team You Trust

It may come as a surprise to learn that your eyes and your health are linked to one another. That’s right; your overall health can affect your eye health and vision quality. One of the health conditions that most commonly affects your eyes is diabetes.

There are different types of diabetes, and depending on your health situation, diabetes can affect your eyes in several different ways. However, with the help of our advanced optometric tools, we can detect these issues before they have a chance to damage your vision. All you have to do is book an appointment.

Defining Diabetes

Diabetes is a systemic disease that affects millions of Americans. There are different types of diabetes, and they can stem from genetics, poor health choices, or age.

With diabetes, your body has difficulty managing your blood sugar levels. As a result, your blood sugar levels rise and lead to various other health problems, some of which can affect your eyes.

Some of the most common diabetic eye conditions and diseases include:

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease associated with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar damages the blood vessels in your retina, causing them to bulge, break, and leak fluid. Early stages may not show any symptoms, but vision damage is permanent and irreversible.

In severe cases, the broken vessels may create scar tissue on your retina, which could increase your risk of retinal detachment and blindness.

Diabetic Macular Edema

Diabetic macular edema is a disease that can occur in conjunction with diabetic retinopathy. As fluids leak from your damaged blood vessels, the fluids can accumulate under your macula. This fluid can then cause your macula to swell, leading to central vision problems.

Open-Angle Glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma is one of the most common eye diseases in the United States and is often known by its nickname “the silent thief of sight” for how it develops without symptoms. Diabetes nearly doubles your risk of developing open-angle glaucoma, making it especially important for you to have regular eye exams.

To learn more about glaucoma and its symptoms, please visit our Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management page.

Cataracts

Cataracts are a common eye condition that usually develops as you age, but diabetes can increase your risk at an earlier age. Cataracts can form as proteins in your eye’s natural lens begin to clump together, causing your lens to become rigid over time. As the lens stiffens, it can develop a hazy, milky color that can obstruct your vision and lead to blindness.

Vision problems during early cataract development can be corrected using glasses or contact lenses, but only surgery can remove the cataract permanently.

Your Vision Matters

Your health and vision are inextricably linked, but our team is here to help you keep the link happy and healthy. Manage your vision health today by booking your appointment at Griffin Optometric Group in Laguna Niguel.

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