Diabetes & Diabetic Retinopathy

About Diabetes & Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition in which the sugar levels of the blood are elevated due to a lack of the hormone insulin.

Despite advances in detection and treatment of Diabetes, it remains the leading cause of blindness in the working-age population. The effects of Diabetes on your eyes may be short-term and/or long-term.

Short Term

Vision can fluctuate, become blurry and cause changes in your glasses prescription when blood sugar levels are high or fluctuate significantly. For this reason, your optometrist or ophthalmologist will not prescribe new glasses while your blood sugar levels are unstable.

Long Term

Diabetic Retinopathy involves changes and damage to the blood vessels that supply the retina, over time this and can also lead to Diabetic Maculopathy (swelling at the macula).