Eye Health

Diabetes Eye Disease

Early diabetes-related eye disease often occurs before your vision is affected or you notice symptoms. With advanced treatments, the sooner you detect diabetes-related eye diseases, the more likely you are to delay loss of vision.

A Black woman gets her eyes examined by a machine

If you are living with or at risk for diabetes, a yearly dilated and comprehensive eye exam or retinal photography can help you find out about diabetes-related eye disease. Learning about diabetes-related eye disease early will help you take steps to prevent vision loss.  The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to develop eye complications.

An eye exam lets your eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) see your entire retina. Early detection, timely treatment, and appropriate follow-up care with your eye doctor can reduce your risk for severe vision loss from diabetes-related eye disease. 

Diabetes-Related Retinopathy

Diabetes-related retinopathy is a general term for damage in the retina caused by diabetes. High blood glucose levels can damage blood vessels in your retina (a thin layer of tissue lining the back of the eye). This can lead to a blockage of the blood vessels that nourish the retina. As your eye tries to grow new blood vessels, they do not properly develop—and as a result— may swell and leak fluid.

Treatment 
Your health care team will help you decide if changes to your diabetes treatment plan will help you meet your health targets.. If diabetes-related retinopathy is mild or moderate, managing your blood glucose can often slow its progression. Other treatment options include eye injections, laser treatment, or surgery.

Learn About Retinopathy Retinopathy Risk Test
Imagery of a retina scan

Diabetes-Related Macular Edema

Diabetes-related macular edema occurs when the tiny blood vessels in the retina leak fluid into the macula, which is where focusing occurs. As the macula swells with fluid, vision blurs and colors may appear washed out.

Treatment

Your health care team will help you decide if changes to your diabetes treatment plan will help you meet your health targets.. Other treatment options include eye injections, laser treatment,  or surgery.

A woman rubs her head due to eye pain and headache

Cataracts

We are all born with a clear lens in our eyes. A cataract causes the lens in your eye to become cloudy. Most cataracts are associated with normal changes in your eyes as you age. You may experience cloudy or blurry vision, faded colors, halos around lights, difficulty seeing at night, or double vision. Cataracts are more common and develop earlier in people with diabetes.

Treatment

Cataract surgery is needed to remove the clouded lens and replace it with a new artificial lens.

Learn About Cataracts
A close up of an eye with cataracts

Glaucoma

People living with diabetes are at higher risk of developing glaucoma. Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up in the eye. This pressure pinches the blood vessels to the retina and optic nerve, damaging both and resulting in permanent vision loss. You may experience, headaches, eye pain, watery or red eyes, halos, or blurred vision.

Treatment

Your health care team will help you decide if changes to your diabetes treatment plan will help you meet your health targets. Other treatment options include eye injections, laser treatment,  or surgery.

Learn About Glaucoma
A doctor checks the eye pressure of a senior woman for diabetic eye disease

Dry Eye with Diabetes

Blurred vision that improves with blinking, excessive watering to compensate for the dryness, and when severe, stinging and burning in your eyes. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop dry eye.

A man rubs at his dry eyes caused by diabetes related dry eye syndrome

More About Eye Health

Protect Your Vision
A dad wearing glasses plays with his 2 kids as a reminder as to why he wants to protect his vision from diabetes

Get Proactive About Protecting Your Vision

Knowledge and community are key to thriving with diabetes despite complications that may come our way. Here are additional ways to be proactive in protecting your eye health. 

Protect Your Vision
Learn About Eye Exams
A man gets his eyes examined for diabetes eye disease

Diabetes & Your Eyes: Getting Started

Schedule your annual diabetes eye exam today. A routine annual eye exam can help identify existing eye disease so you can take steps to prevent or delay vision loss caused by diabetes.

Learn About Eye Exams
Learn About Floaters
A woman rubs her eyes due to floaters in her vision from diabetes related eye disease

When to Be Concerned About Floaters in Your Vision

While anyone can develop this eye condition, floaters are more common in people with diabetes who have developed diabetes-related retinopathy or diabetes-related macular edema.

Learn About Floaters
Find Vision Resources
A man struggles to read his phone due to diabetes related eye complications

Vision Care Assistance

Take control of your vision care. There are many resources available to help you achieve your eye health goals.

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