Is Eye Troubles Enevatable

[gobbly2100]

Does having diabetes (especialy at a young age) mean it is enevatable that you will have eye problems sometime in your life or is it all about your blood sugar control and luck?

[Cyborg]

As diabetics we are more prone to eye problems, including cataracts. I believe eye problems can be avoided with good control, in most cases, as there are some old timers on the forum that still have good eye sight.

[gobbly2100]

Do we know what percentage of diabetics go blind due to diabetese? or has nothing ever been published like this?

[BriOnH]

Diabetic eye problems are absolutely not inevitable. The ETDRS and google have tons of information to digest. If you find anything you think is worth sharing, please do.

[sydneya]

I don't think anything is inevitable. And I know eye problems are not. Good control is the answer (isn't it always). That is not a 100% guarantee though. I was developing retinopathy when my control wasn't as good. When I really started working on it and had good control, it cleared up. No More Retinopathy. I am developing cataracts but at almost 60 I would ssay that is not necessarily diabetic related. Could be, but maybe not, too.

My goal is keep the best control I can, and don't worry about it until it hits!!

[BriOnH]

I don't think anything is inevitable.

Death. .

[Lloyd]

Does having diabetes (especialy at a young age) mean it is enevatable that you will have eye problems sometime in your life or is it all about your blood sugar control and luck?

I don't think it is enevatable. I'm 56, T2 for 10 years, corrected 20/15 vision, and at my last eye exam a couple of weeks ago was told that looking at my eyes, my eye doctor could not tell I was a diabetic.

My control has varied from 5.9 to 8.4 over the years.

I do think if you are out of control for 5 years or so the risks of eye damage get very high.

-Lloyd

[seacomp]

Do we know what percentage of diabetics go blind due to diabetese? or has nothing ever been published like this?
There are many studies and reports which show this and related information.
Most importantly are studies like the DCCT that show the incident of complications as related to the level of BG control. The DCCT and others, however, usually, only differentiate between A1C below and above 7.0%.
In my book, an A1C of 7.0 is not good control for someone who is really trying. There does not seem to be information available about the rates of complications for those who can manage A1C near or at 5.0%.
For one thing, the concern is with complications 10, 20 30 years out, and there just isn't the data available to make judgements on that yet.

[SueM]

I have gone almost 42 years on insulin diagnosed aged 4 1/2. I have no eye damage at all.
I do my best by my A1c but I refuse to work full time or make it life consuming to get it as low as can be. Mine is kept between 6.9 and 7.6 now days.No idea what it was in my younger days nor do I care.(you can't turn the clock back).
My uncle has had type 1 for about 40 years he has no eye damage either.
Good control/genes/luck all play a part.
I decided a long time ago I was not going to dwell on the fact I might get complications.
After all I might get run over by a bus tomorow.(Hope I don't)

[xMenace]

I'll go with genetics. You never had an ancester work in a place called Los Alamos?:1eye:

[KickStart101]

Well, I was surprised this Christmas week-end, when my Cousin
and her Hubby stopped in for a visit at Mom's. He said he had
a retinal detachment last year just from bending over to tie his
shoelace. :confused: He is 6' 3" and only about 20 lbs.
over-weight, aged 49. He is a non-diabetic with no other health
issues except for high blood pressure.

At the time, he had commented to my Cousin about the lightning
then shortly after his vision started going cloudy. He drove to
SunnyBrook Hospital and the Dr. told him what the problem was.
There evidently were 3 other non-diabetic Patients with the same
diagnosis at the same time.

I was just flabbergasted, that he had a retinal detachment before
me and he isn't even a Diabetic. They fixed his eye fine.


You just amaze me SueM :) and Karen with Diabetes over 40 yrs.
and No complications. Good Work and Congrats. :D You both
prove eye problems are not inevitable with reasonable control, good
genes and Good Luck. I hope that you don't get run over either Sue. :)

[Injecto]

Do we know what percentage of diabetics go blind due to diabetese? or has nothing ever been published like this?

I'd like to know the exact same thing. I've never seen a value. Telling me that I can reduce eye problems by 76% with good control (from the DCCT) still doesn't let me know how many people eventually go blind. I mean, is it 1%? 10%? After how long? And what was the Type 1 to Type 2 split?

Going blind is my absolute biggest fear with D. That, and the undying anxiety.

[BlueSky]

Injecto,

Diabetes is a major cause of blindness. But with all the tools now available for managing blood glucose, avoiding this fate is not difficult for a recently diagnosed T1 like yourself. Some people seem to be able to tolerate chronically high BG better than others. But if you keep your HBA1c under 7% your eyes should be fine. Keeping it below 6.5% improves your chances of avoiding retinopathy even more. :wink:

See the graph at the bottom of this post for the trade-off, based on the DCCT trial. http://www.diabetesforums.com/type-2/7245-high-bg-relative-absolute.html?highlight=retinopathy+graph+mark#pos t78520

[Injecto]

Injecto,

Diabetes is a major cause of blindness. But with all the tools now available for managing blood glucose, avoiding this fate is not difficult for a recently diagnosed T1 like yourself. Some people seem to be able to tolerate chronically high BG better than others. But if you keep your HBA1c under 7% your eyes should be fine. Keeping it below 6.5% improves your chances of avoiding retinopathy even more. :wink:

See the graph at the bottom of this post for the trade-off, based on the DCCT trial. http://www.diabetesforums.com/type-2/7245-high-bg-relative-absolute.html?highlight=retinopathy+graph+mark#pos t78520

Honestly, when I see information like that, I seriously question wether life is worth living only to be so doomed. The chances of keeping an A1C as low as4.5 is practically impossible. Sorry, I just absolutely hate being a diabetic.

[BlueSky]

Honestly, when I see information like that, I seriously question wether life is worth living only to be so doomed. The chances of keeping an A1C as low as4.5 is practically impossible. Sorry, I just absolutely hate being a diabetic.
What makes you think we are doomed. Sure, as diabetics we have increased risk of complications. But not many people who get retinopathy go blind. I, for example, am into my 30th year of being T1. And I have had some background retinopathy for some time. But it doesn't affect my vision. And, since I have been keeping my HBA1c below 6.5%, it hasn't progressed. And I really don't expect it to get any worse. In fact, it may well clear up as a result of my improved control. So don't worry. You really have a lot of control here. And you are fortunate to have access to really good BG management tools from the start. So chill out and enjoy life .... :wink:

[BriOnH]

Sorry, I just absolutely hate being a diabetic.

Yes it sucks. Deal with it brother.

[Injecto]

Yes it sucks. Deal with it brother.

Yeah, I get that. I'm trying, but it's alot harder for some than others. One long day at a time.

[BriOnH]

Yeah, I get that. I'm trying, but it's alot harder for some than others. One long day at a time.

It's hard for everyone and you can't force yourself, but the sooner you can move on with it, the better your life will be. It does get better. There will be a point for you where you feel so healthy with diabetes, you will be in the best shape of your life. I know that sounds oxymoronic, but I promise it will happen.

[gobbly2100]

It has taken me 8 years to come to terms with it but I got there in the end when I saw a photo of my eyes that were slightly damaged by the diabetes.

I was told if I take control now I could quite easiley patch up my eyes by letting them heal themselves with better control.

Up to a few weeks ago I was the worste controlled diabetic within my area which is a pretty busy place so I think it would be fair to say it was extremely hard for me to deal with.

I have come to the conclusion that it is 100% your choice weather you wanna take care of yourself and make sure you are not a victim of diabetes but a friend of it.

You can't fight diabetes, you have two options.

1. Let it beat you.

2. Let it be part of your life and treat it with respect and it will return the respect back.

People are not perfect but we can try.

[Mick]

Like Sue, I've been Type 1 since childhood in the 1960's, and have been diabetic for over 41 years now. My eye doctor tells me every year after looking hard to find something finally wrong in my eyes, that I "continue to dodge the bullet", and that there is not a trace of diabetes in my eyes. He does admit that is unusual, and tells me that if I've gone this long, it is unlikely any eye problems will show up at this point. I've been seeing this doc for 20 years, so he's tracked me for a long time.

Michael

[SunniD]

I believe since they started using Laser treatments the number of diabetics going blind has been reduced to < 1% or so my healthcare team speculated. There are many with reduced vision from laser treatments though so if I had
too, I'd keep as good of control as one can to avoid blindness and laser treatments.

I've had type 1 45 yrs. and eyes are still fine.

SunniD

[BriOnH]

I believe a good amount (10-20%) of people who get lasered causes more harm then good. In the end it's really your decision and choice to get anything done on you, so make sure you make the right decision relative to yourself.

Sorry for being a little harsh above their injecto. I too have [anxiety] problems with having diabetes.

Michael - that is truely incredible.

[Injecto]

Sorry for being a little harsh above their injecto. I too have [anxiety] problems with having diabetes.


Hey, no hard feelings...it's all part of being in the DF "family".....:smile: