Blurred vision

High BG causes your eyeballs to "dry out" very slightly. This is a very gradual process, so it often isn't noticeable although a slight blurring of vision can be a symptom of diabetes. When your BG falls as the diabetes comes under control, the eyes will suddenly get more fluid, and this causes them to change shape. This causes the blurring you are now experiencing. It is more the result of the change than anything - so it will probably improve quite quickly. Your eyes may or may not go back to where they were before, but they will at least stabilise - so if there is a problem you will easily be able to fix it with glasses or contact lenses.

I experienced this, although not as severely as many people have reported. Up until relatively recently I had perfect eyesight. For the last couple of years before I was diagnosed with diabetes I would sometimes have slight problems reading when I got very tired. At the time I put this down to spending too long sitting in front of computer screens - but with hindsight it was probably an early symptom. As I got the diabetes under control this got a lot worse for several weeks. I bought a cheap pair of off-the-peg reading glasses from a chemist, which were very helpful. This has improved, although my vision is certainly no longer perfect. I still don't use glasses routinely, and don't need them to read a computer screen. I do use reading glasses for very close work in poor light. I sail, and I now need glasses for navigation (those charts often have a lot of pretty tiny detail).

Hello,

The main reason for my diagnosis of diabetes was the blurred vision, amongst other things. I had terrible blurred distance vision but close up was fine. As I got my sugars under control my close up vision went and my distance was good. I too bought 2 pairs of off the peg glasses, one for close up and one for distance. It was a complete nuisance as I work in an office and my job is computer based. I needed the distance glasses to make it safe for driving. Then, once sugars had been fine for a couple of weeks both distance and close up went to pot. This was one of the most frustrating periods for me as I had always had 20/20 vision. Try putting on mascara when you can't see a **** thing! The whole process from start to finish (ending in my vision being restored to normal) took four weeks and although I have had a couple of episodes of higher blood glucose my vision has stayed the same. Hope that helps.

caitycakes

You probably have been running high for quite a while and feel rotten with almost normal blood sugars.

Just give it time.

I went through the blurry vision thing too, but I'm sure it went off within a couple of weeks. It's never recurred

Guys

I found your replies very useful as my symptoms are very similar i.e. diagnosed with Type 2 3 weeks ago and felt fine then as my BS dropped I started to feel lousy and then my vision "went" two days ago. I was recommended to start using insulin but as my BS is dropping - averaging around 8 - I'm trying to manage it using medication, excerise and diet. Have you any idea how long the "lousy" feeling lasts.

For the first time in nearly 40 years I spent nearly two weeks without my glasses on because my eyes were changing shape whilst my BG levels were normalising. My prescription has changed since diagnosis.

Regards, Tubs.

ronmac said:

Guys

I found your replies very useful as my symptoms are very similar i.e. diagnosed with Type 2 3 weeks ago and felt fine then as my BS dropped I started to feel lousy and then my vision "went" two days ago. I was recommended to start using insulin but as my BS is dropping - averaging around 8 - I'm trying to manage it using medication, excerise and diet. Have you any idea how long the "lousy" feeling lasts.

Click to expand...

Until it stops.

Sorry I'm not helping much am I? <G> but it will depend on how high your BG has been and for how
long.

Hey!

It's ok, i so totally know how you feel!!!!

My blurry vision lasted around two weeks and the ****** feeling only a little longer.

Honestly it does go. I was feeling great by hubby's birthday so that was 14th September after having the big drop at the start of august.

Hang on in there! it means your doing something right!!!! Just have to have lots of rest and just wait it out.

Promise!!!!

I had the same thing very blurred vision when my bg's first came down to, i went and got a new pair of glasses, I told the bastid optician i was newly diagnosed with diabetes, but she still sold me a pair of glasses that I didn't need, after a while.

I bought the book "Diabetes the first year" and the lady who wrote it said don't buy any glasses as your sight will return to whatever it was before. She described how she got by wearing 2 or 3 specs on top of each other, she took about 2 months for her sight to return to normal, it was about the same with me. It was quite scary as the effect was very dramatic as the glucose levels dropped.

Re Your BLURRED VISION

Hope this may help: I have been on "EVERY" Insulin in the Mimms Book?
Hypos all same but different!
Now quite strange the Analogue's NovoRapid & Levemir gave me
A BLURRED going BLIND vision before any Hypo.
this is handy as a warning BUT not very :twisted: nice
Don't think many Doc's know about this!

Insulinman
I have read of visual disturbances prior to hypos is others, haven't heard of it being asscociated with a particular insulin. Theres a wide variety of 'symptoms', and not everyone has all of them.


Re eye changes after diagnosis.
As Diabetic Geek says its to do with the change in fluid consistency causing the lens to change shape. The high BS before diagnosis would have caused these changes but as it happens gradually the eye gets used to it and the person often doesn't realise that their vision has become worse.A normalisation of blood sugars results in the vision you would have had if you hadn't got diabetes (ie if you were short sighted before you won't suddenly develop 20/20 vision) . Frequent rapid changes in BS can however cause serious damage to eyes.

My BS were brought down very quickly with insulin and for a few days I could see for ever. It was most odd. I could look out of the hospital window and everything was more bright and clear, I could see for miles. On the other hand I could't bear to look at the television screen as it was far too close. This rapidly resolved itself.