Video
Event on “Management of Cataract & Diabetic Retinopathy” held on Dec 1, 2022. Speaker: Dr G V Divakar, MD of Divakars Speciality Hospital & ARTIST, Sr. Prof - DNB, Sankara Eye Hospital, Bangalore
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5TTZBXtAVs
Article:
Having diabetes, especially with prolonged elevated levels of blood sugar can lead to higher chances of developing cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.
CATARACTS
How a Cataract is Formed
A cataract is a cloudy lens and as you age, the lenses in your eyes become less flexible, less transparent and thicker. Cataracts generally develop in both eyes, but not always at the same rate. The cataract in one eye may be more advanced than the other, causing a difference in vision between eyes.
Cataracts can make it more difficult to read, drive a car (especially at night) or see the expression on a friend's face. Most cataracts develop slowly and don't disturb your eyesight early on. But with time, cataracts will eventually interfere with your vision.
When you have diabetes, high blood sugar (blood glucose) levels over time, can lead to structural changes in the lens of the eye that can accelerate the development of cataracts. You might be at greater risk for developing cataracts depending on how long you’ve had diabetes, the frequency of glucose levels above your target range and the presence of macular oedema—fluid build-up in the macula (located in the centre of the retina). You may not notice cataracts, since symptoms can be minor until clouding affects the centre of the eye, at which point the cataract can progress rapidly.
Causes
· Diabetes
· Increasing age
· Smoking
· Obesity
· Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
· Family history
· Eye injury
· Eye surgery
· Repeated eye injections
· Spending a lot of time in the sun without UV sunglasses
· Using certain medications, such as corticosteroids
Signs & Symptoms
· Cloudy or blurry vision
· Seeing double in one eye
· Seeing halos around lights
· Being extra sensitive to light and glare
· Having trouble seeing well at night
· Bright colours seem faded
· Need for brighter light for reading and other activities
· Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
How to Prevent Cataracts
· Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables
· Do not smoke
· Wear sunglasses with UV protection
· Manage your glucose to stay within your target range (usually 80-180 mg/dL)
What to Do if You Get Them
If you start developing a cataract, you may be able to see better if you:
· Use brighter lighting
· Wear anti-glare prescription glasses and sunglasses
· Use magnifying lenses when needed
· Talk to your eye doctor about updating your eyeglass prescription
At first, stronger lighting and eyeglasses can help you deal with cataracts. But if impaired vision interferes with your usual activities, you might need cataract surgery. Fortunately, cataract surgery is generally a safe, effective procedure.
DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
At some point, nearly 1 out of 3 people with diabetes has retinopathy that means, damage to the blood vessels in the retina. That’s the lining at the back of your eye. Non-proliferative retinopathy, which doesn't usually threaten your eyesight, is most common.
Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Continuing to have high blood sugar over several years, could lead to more severe disease known as proliferative diabetic retinopathy. It's called "proliferative" because new blood vessels start to grow on the surface of the retina. These blood vessels are fragile and can leak blood or fluid. This causes scarring of the retina and long-term vision loss.
Macular Oedema
Diabetic retinopathy may also cause macular oedema. This happens when fluid leaks into the part of the retina that helps give you the sharp, central vision. You need that for reading, driving, and seeing fine details. Instead, things look blurry.
Prevention
Many studies have shown that you can cut your odds of losing your vision from retinopathy and macular oedema with strict control of your blood sugars, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
If you find and treat diabetic retinopathy early, you can slow or even reverse some forms of vision loss. If you have diabetes, you should see an eye doctor at least once a year. If your annual exams are normal, you may be able to have follow-up exams every 2-3 years.
Treatment
When your vision is affected or at risk, keeping your diabetes under control can help stop the condition getting worse. There are many ways to treat proliferative diabetic retinopathy – laser treatment, eye injections or eye surgery. Your doctor will advise you as to what treatment will suit you best.
- Compiled by Anita Natu
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetes-eye-care
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetes-eye-care
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-retinopathy/stages/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cataracts/symptoms-causes/syc-20353790