Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases involving the metabolism of blood sugar (glucose) within the body. All forms of diabetes mellitus may have an impact on eye health.
How can diabetes affect the eye?
Diabetes can result in problems from the front to the back of the eye and impact on the nerves and muscles within the eye socket. Complications within the eye include:
- Difficulty with focus – if blood sugar is elevated patients may experience difficulty with focusing and changing glasses prescription.
- Cataract – this may present sooner in diabetic patients if glucose control is poor.
- Reduced eye sensation and infection – in some diabetic patient the sensation of the cornea may be reduced placing them at risk of dry eye disease, eye ulcers, and infection.
- Retinopathy – poor glucose control may impact on the blood vessels in the back of the eye causing them to leak, bleed, become blocked, or grow abnormally. If this develops laser treatment or injected medications may be required to close them off.
- Diabetic macular oedema – swelling can develop in the macula causing blurring of central vision and distortion of vision.
- Glaucoma – patients with poorly controlled diabetes are at increased risk of various forms of glaucoma.
Diabetes Australia
Further information on diabetes, including its potential impact on the eye, can be found on Diabetes Australia’s website
Procedures for diabetic eye disease
Intravitreal injections
This procedure may be recommended if there is swelling in the macula, bleeding, or abnormal blood vessels formed in the back of the eye.
The medication injected into the eye works to reduce swelling in the macula and close off abnormal blood vessels. Patients receive anaesthetic drops to numb the surface of the eye followed by antiseptic solution. A fine needle is used to inject the drug into the eye via the sclera (white lining of the eye). The eye is then washed with saline solution. This is typically a comfortable procedure following appropriate anaesthetic administration.
Retinal laser
This is a procedure performed using a laser machine within the office.
Anaesthetic drops are applied to the eye and a specialised lens is used to view the retina (the back lining of the eye). Areas of blood vessel leakage, or areas where blood supply is reduced, may be treated with the laser to seal leaks and reduce the risk of abnormal new blood vessels forming.
Do you have diabetes and want to know your treatment options? Make an appointment with Dr Northey today.
Dr Luke Northey
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