Many Canadians understand that Diabetes is a disease that prevents the body from making or using insulin. This results in increased levels of sugar in the bloodstream causing high blood sugar. What a lot of people don’t know is that Diabetes can also affect the eye in many ways.
Diabetes can cause changes in current eye conditions such as Myopia, Hyperopia and Presbyopia. It can result in early onset of Cataracts and Glaucoma. It can cause visual distortion including blurring, eye fatigue, double vision, flashes and floaters, loss of peripheral field and fluctuation in clarity. Some signs of diabetes can be detected through an eye examination at Lynn Valley Optometry. Your Eye Doctor will review with you the digital retinal image of the back of the eye that can show systemic signs of Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy in the retina.
Treatment for Diabetes is best prescribed by your general practitioner but may include removing certain risks associated with Diabetes such as smoking, alcohol, obesity and sedentary lifestyle. Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy may be treated with laser therapy or intraocular injections as prescribed by your Optometrist and Ophthalmologist.
