Diabetic eye disease is a leading cause of vision loss in adults aged 20 to 74 years. It often doesn’t have noticeable symptoms early on until it has advanced and caused serious damage.
Understanding the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic eye disease is crucial for prompt detection, treatment, and saving your sight. Keep reading to learn more about how common diabetic eye disease is, and which factors can increase your risk of developing diabetes-related eye conditions.
What is Diabetic Eye Disease?
Diabetic eye disease refers to various eye conditions that are complications of diabetes. The most common diabetic eye disease is diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy is a sight-threatening condition that occurs when high blood sugar, due to poorly controlled diabetes, damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina. The damaged blood vessels can bulge and leak into the macula, the middle area of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision.
They can also close off completely and prevent blood from passing through. In some cases, new, abnormal blood vessels may form on the retina to replace the damaged ones.
These vessels leak more easily and can bleed into the vitreous, blocking vision. All these changes can cause vision loss.
Diabetic retinopathy usually has no symptoms in its early stages, but as the disease progresses, you’ll likely experience symptoms such as:
- Blurred vision
- Increased number of floaters
- Dark or blank areas in your field of vision
- Colors appearing muted or faded
- Poor night vision
- Vision that fluctuates from blurry to clear
- Loss of vision
How Common is Diabetic Eye Disease?
As per a 2021 study, nearly 9.6 million Americans have diabetic retinopathy, including about 26 percent of diabetes patients. You’re more likely to develop the condition if you have any of the following risk factors:
Diabetes
Having diabetes can predispose you to diabetic eye disease. The longer you have diabetes, the higher your chances of developing diabetic eye disease, especially if your diabetes is poorly controlled.
Ethnicity
Some groups are more at risk than others. Diabetic eye disease occurs more frequently among Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans.
High Blood Pressure
If you have diabetes and high blood pressure, the risk of diabetic retinopathy increases considerably, and the condition is more likely to progress faster. High blood pressure can worsen the damage to the blood vessels already affected by high blood sugar levels.
High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fat in the blood. When in excess, it can accumulate in the retinal blood vessels and form plaques, blocking them.
This can impair blood flow to your retina and accelerate the degenerative processes happening in the light-sensing tissue, raising your risk of diabetic retinopathy.
Family History
Diabetic retinopathy runs in families. If a parent has diabetes or severe diabetic retinopathy, you’re at greater risk of getting the condition.
Pregnancy
Your chances of developing diabetic retinopathy increase if you have diabetes and get pregnant. Body changes that support a growing baby can exert extra pressure on the retinal blood vessels, causing diabetic retinopathy.
You’re also at high risk of diabetic retinopathy if you develop gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during pregnancy.
Smoking
Smoking is a significant risk factor for diabetic retinopathy. It raises your blood glucose levels and blood pressure, making it challenging to control diabetes effectively.
Extended periods of high blood sugar levels can damage retinal blood vessels.
Protect Your Vision with Regular Eye Exams
The best way to safeguard your sight and stay ahead of diabetic eye disease is by having frequent eye exams at VisionFirst Eye Center. If you’re at a higher risk, your ophthalmologist can recommend how often you should have your eyes checked.
With the help of regular exams, your eye care team can catch diabetic eye disease early, when treatment is most effective, to have the best chance at preserving your vision.
Do you have diabetes or other diabetic eye disease risk factors? Stay on top of your eye health by scheduling a comprehensive eye exam at VisionFirst Eye Center in Birmingham, AL, today!
