Diabetes And Cataracts
Cataracts are a common disease among the elderly. With age, lens of the eye becomes opaque and no longer allows the patient to see clearly. Today, this eye disease can be fixed with an operation that involves replacing the opaque lens with an intraocular lens. If a patient is diabetic, the risk of developing diseases of the eye (the cataract) increase. In addition, although the surgery is the same, extra care should be taken for cataract surgery on diabetic patients.
Why diabetes and vision do not mix?
Reminder: What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease which cannot be cured but one that can be controlled and treated. It is caused by a malfunction of insulin, the hormone responsible for the absorption of sugar and its use by the cells of your body. With diabetes, sugar builds up in the blood instead of being supplied to the cells. The diabetes disease therefore results in a blood glucose level on an empty stomach (the level of sugar in the blood) higher than normal. Over the long run, high blood sugar alters the vessels, nerves and organs of the body, including the eyes.
The effects of diabetes on the eye
Diabetes can cause various diseases of the eye including retinopathy, which is the most common eye disease in diabetics, which can lead to total loss of vision when left untreated. Diabetes also increases the risk of cataracts which occurs mostly among the elderly, but can also affect young patients who do not control their diabetes. As a result, diabetes is the leading cause of cataracts, but this eye disease has a tendency to appear prematurely in people with diabetes.
How to prevent cataracts in patients with diabetes?
We cannot prevent the development of cataracts, in diabetic patients or patients without diabetes. As we have said previously, uncontrolled blood sugar affects the whole body in the long run. For a diabetic, taking care of their eyesight means taking care of their diabetes first and foremost.
Cataract and diabetes: Precautions to be taken before surgery
Cataract surgery is the same for a diabetic as it is for non-diabetic patients. However, the risk of infectious complications after surgery are higher in patients with diabetes. Before the implantation of intraocular lenses, it is essential that the patient’s diabetes is as controlled as possible.
Diabetes and cataract surgery: What to remember?
Keep in mind that with diabetics, the risk of developing cataract disease and the risk of complications after surgery are higher than in non-diabetic patients. To delay the onset of cataracts and prevent possible complications after surgery, it is essential to avoid glycemic imbalance. The more the glycemic index is stable, the more the patient will be protected against eye disease, including cataracts. Consulting a physician and an ophthalmologist regularly will help increase the chances of maintaining good long-term vision.
The experts in cataract surgery for Cliniques Michel Pop therefore recommend:
• Control blood sugar in order to maintain a rate that is the closest to normal;
• Make an appointment with a doctor as soon as a vision disorder is found;
• Consult an ophthalmologist regularly.