This list shows the major causes of blindness in people who have diabetes and what you can do to help prevent vision loss.
Keeping your blood sugar levels and blood pressure within a target range is always important. You also need regular dilated eye exams to help find eye diseases early. Finding and treating eye diseases early can help prevent or delay vision loss.
Major causes of blindness associated with diabetes:
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- How it causes vision loss
- It damages the retina, the section of your eye that captures visual information.
- How to prevent it
- Keep blood sugar levels in a
target range. - Control blood pressure.
- Get regular eye exams.
- Treat retinopathy early to keep the disease from progressing.
- Keep blood sugar levels in a
- How it causes vision loss
- Glaucoma
- How it causes vision loss
- It increases pressure in the eye, which damages your retina.
- How to prevent it
- Get regular eye exams to check for the disease.
- How it causes vision loss
- Cataract
- How it causes vision loss
- It clouds the lens, the section of your eye that focuses light.
- How to prevent it
- Protect your eyes from ionizing radiation (X-rays) and UV radiation (sunlight).
- Keep blood sugar levels in a target range.
- How it causes vision loss
Sources:
Copyrighted material adapted with permission from Healthwise Inc. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor
For more information on reducing your risk of diabetic eye disease, email contactknovasolutions@workpartners.com or call 1-800-355-0885. We are available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.