Diabetic Eye Pain can present in individuals who have had Diabetes Mellitus for numerous years. Maintaining normal levels of blood glucose are essential to the health and well-being of a Diabetic. When blood glucose levels soar, an individual’s life can be in immediate danger of Ketoacidosis, coma, and death. When blood sugar levels return to an acceptable range, the emergent threat may be gone, but other complications, such as Diabetic eye pain may arise. These complications are due to Diabetic Neuropathy, which is nerve damage.
Nerve damage occurs as a direct result of the excessive glucose in the bloodstream. The glucose, or sugar, causes two separate issues. The first problem is that when sugar remains in the blood, it cannot be transferred to other cells for use as fuel. These cells are then deprived of nutrients essential for normal function. The second issue is that the sugar acts like a toxin and does direct damage to the blood vessels and to the tissues and organs receiving the blood. As every organ in the body needs a steady supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to thrive, the damage can impair any bodily function.
One area of the body that is especially susceptible to nerve damage and pain is the eyes. The eyes need the function of muscles, nerves and tissues in and around the eyes, as well as cranial nerves from the brain that control their movement. When any of these structures are defective, the result is loss or disturbed vision and it is not uncommon for individuals to have Diabetic eye pain.
Diabetic Eye Pain
Diabetic eye pain is a complaint that is typical to people who have problems controlling their blood sugar levels. In fact, more than 24,000 Diabetics loss the complete sense of sight each year from Diabetic complications according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, the primary cause of vision loss in people twenty-five through seventy-four is Diabetic Retinopathy, or damage to the retina. In 2005-2008, 4.2 million Diabetics aged 40 years or older had some form of Diabetic Retinopathy according to the 2011 National Fact Sheet.
These individuals may have any number of eye diseases that affect sight. Glaucoma, for instance, is an eye disease in which fluid and pressure increase within the eye. As it progresses, it can cause significant eye pain, in addition to headaches and watery eyes. Because many eye conditions cause pressure in the blood vessels due to hemorrhaging, bulging, or bleeding, eye pain is quite common.
Diabetic Eye Pain
Diabetic eye pain can result from hundreds of eye conditions such as Macular Edema, Macular Degeneration, Cataracts and Background Retinopathy. These diseases affect various parts of the eye but they all cause a considerable amount of eye pain. Treatments like drops and laser therapies may correct some of these problems, but often the eye pain occurs only when the disease is advanced. For this reason, it is important to maintain annual eye exams in order to avoid disease and Diabetic eye pain.
