Diabetes can cause a variety of eye conditions. The most common and serious complication of diabetes for the eye is the development of diabetic retinopathy, which is caused by a lack of blood circulation in the retina and can lead to irreversible damage to the retina and permanent vision loss. Other common complications are early clouding of the lens (cataract), elevated intraocular pressure (glaucoma), and frequent eye infections. Patients with controlled diabetes are generally at lower risk to develop complications for the eye than those with uncontrolled diabetes. However, even diabetes under perfect control can still cause complications on the eyes. Therefore, regular eye exams are essential for diabetes patients.

Treatment

Keeping blood sugar levels and blood pressure levels under control is a prerequisite for an effective treatment of diabetic retinopathy. Unfortunately, diabetic retinopathy can still develop with diabetes under perfect control. The vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy can be slowed by intravitreal injections, surgery or laser treatment. Laser treatment of parts of the retina increases the blood flow to the remaining areas of the retina. This treatment does normally not improve vision but is rather used to slow down a further deterioration of visual acuity, which can lead to a complete loss of vision.