QA Forum

Question & Answer

We are discussing Living with Diabetes
With Angela Blair, Kristen Hazelwood and the Department of Health and Ageing

Question:
Hi I have type 2 diabetes, I'm 52 years old and I'm worried about my eyesight, is there anything I can do about it? I heard that diabetes ruins your eyesight and mine is very good, I only use reading glasses.

Answer:
Angela - Diabetes can damage the very small blood vessels that line the back of the eye and this can lead to loss of vision, even blindness. The medical term for this is diabetes retinopathy. People who have had diabetes for a long time, have poor control of their diabetes, have high blood pressure and blood fats (cholesterol) or have been diagnosed with diabetes kidney damage are more at risk of developing retinopathy.

While people diagnosed with diabetes are at risk of eye damage fortunately you can do something to reduce your risk of sight problems. You should have your eyes checked regularly by an optometrist or ophthalmologist who will use drops to enlarge your pupils so that the backs of your eyes can be examined for changes. Also keeping good control of your diabetes and having regular blood pressure and blood fats checks are important steps in preventing diabetes eye disease. Early detection and treatment of any changes to the eyes means vision loss can prevented. These changes often do not effect your vision until the damage is severe and some vision may be lost. The recommendation is that people with type 2 diabetes have their eyes checked when diagnosed and the at least every 2 years.

Your optometrist or ophthalmologist will also check your vision for glasses and for other problems such as cataracts to ensure healthy eyes.

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