Check in with your eyes on Diabetes Awareness Day
Currently 4.4 million people in the UK who live with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing eye diseases and vision loss. That’s why Optegra Eye Clinic Sheffield is supporting this Diabetes Awareness Day with a reminder for all diabetics to attend regular eye tests and screening so that any changes in the eye can be detected and treated quickly.
In the UK anyone over the age of 12 with diabetes is offered eye health screening on an annual basis because:Diabetic retinopathy may not cause any symptoms in the early stages.
Screening can detect problems in the eyes before it affects your vision.
The condition, if not diagnosed and treated promptly, can lead to blindness.
If detected early, treatment can prevent or reduce the risk of vision loss.
The screening programmes which were introduced in 2013 have shown a positive reduction in the number of people with more advanced retinopathy and registration of blindness.
What is diabetes? Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become high and it can affect many parts of the body – including the eyes. In fact, it is estimated that 3.5 per cent of people with diabetes will be registered blind due to their diabetes.
There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 – where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin Type 2 (the most common) – where the body does not produce enough insulin.
Diabetes affects the eyes when your blood sugar level is too high, causing blood vessels in the retina to swell and leak. The key to preventing this is early detection. In the short term you may not experience any loss of vision but you could experience: Blurry or wavy vision; Frequently changing vision; Dark areas or vision loss; Poor colour vision; Spots or dark strings (or floaters); Flashes of light.
Mr Amir Hamid, Medical Director at Optegra, says: “Regular eye tests, which adults are recommended to have every two years, can not only help those with diabetes to keep their eyes as healthy as possible, it can also detect the condition by checking the fine detail through an ophthalmoscope, for example swelling in the back of the eye is a possible sign of diabetes.
“Optometrists can also measure the eye pressure as part of a check for conditions such as glaucoma and check for bleeds at the back of the eye due to high blood pressure or diabetes. They can even detect cataracts even at early stages.
“By having your eyes regularly checked, optometrists can see changes very early and sometimes start treatment before you notice any changes to the vision.” Living with diabetes Lesley Schimell, age 84, has been treated at Optegra.
She says: “I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2002 at the age of 62. It was a shock as I had no family history of diabetes and I was not overweight. I followed the recommended regime for the next 15 years and had the usual podiatry checks for neuropathy and diabetic eye screening checks for retinopathy.
“In 2017 I had a CT scan for hypoparathyroidism and a tumour was found on my pituitary gland, which was exerting pressure on the optic nerve and would eventually cause blindness. A decision was taken to remove as much of the tumour as possible, and as a result my diabetes has reduced to acceptable levels most of the time.
“In 2020 I was referred by the diabetic screening service to the eye hospital as they had found that not only did I have cataracts on both eyes but that both eyes were affected by age-related wet macular degeneration.
“I was referred to Optegra Eye Hospital where I now receive treatment for wet AMD by intravitreal injections every six weeks. My consultant has informed me that my sight has improved and I feel this also. I believe these visits and injections have saved my sight and I am very grateful for the care received. They sound scary but just like an injection anywhere you get used to it.”
For more information about diabetes and eyesight visit: www.optegra.com