Diabetes and the Eyes

Unfortunately, the most common cause of blindness in working-age people is diabetic eye disease. If you are diabetic, and the evidence is that only half the number of NZers with the condition have been diagnosed, the longer you have had the condition and the poorer the control of your blood glucose increase your risks of diabetic eye disease.

Diabetes is a disease where too much glucose in the blood damages the tiny capillaries all throughout the body, and they leak. Capillary damage in the kidneys leads to renal failure, and in the eyes leads to blindness, from damage due to bleeding, the lack of good supply to the seeing cells and from scarring and fibrosis from the bleeds.

In many regions in NZ, once a person has been diagnosed with diabetes, she is referred to an optometrist who has a contract from the local DHB for a diabetic fundus examination. (The fundus is the back of the eye). The pupils are dilated with eye drops, and either photographs are taken or the clinician looks with special lenses to check for signs of diabetic eye disease. These changes are some typical-looking bleeds or leaks of fluid.

If there are any changes, the person will be monitored or referred for laser treatment (to stop the leaks). In many cases, the eyes look healthy and the person is monitored - usually at 2-yearly intervals.

These diabetic exams are separate from your normal exam with your local optometrist. They do not check the prescription, and might detect other eye conditions (like cataracts) but do not always detect these. For example, often the photographs taken have to over-expose the optic nerves so any vessel leaks can be detected, but this means that glaucoma damage cannot be always be seen. So it is important to continue to have your "normal" examinations.

Diabetes is a nasty disease. Don't let it blind you or your loved ones.