Does vision go back to normal?

[noreversegear]

I am a just newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic. I had prediabetes for a couple years before this year (although my doctor never mentioned it, I just noticed when I reviewed my files). I've had blurry vision for a couple years now. I can still see but it just gets a bit blurry. I noticed it's very clear sometimes, but blurry other times.

My once stable eyeglasses prescription has been getting slightly worse. My right eye used to have a higher prescription (since I was a kid) and now my left eye "beat" my right eye with an even worse prescription.
Regarding my vision, I saw an optometrist for a thorough exam. My eyes are fine, my vitreous jelly had just separated, thus the floaters. But otherwise, my eyes are healthy. He asked me if my blood sugar was stable and I said no, it goes up and down, higher than 7 when I test it at home. He then said okay and wrote me a prescription for glasses... but I think I should hold off on that because I heard that when you get diabetes, your vision fluctuates and you should hold off until it's stable before you commit to spending a lot for new glasses. (the change is only slight). Is the optometrist just not very experienced with diabetes and vision? Or doesn't understand that money doesn't grow on trees and a person can't afford a $400 pair of glasses every 6 months. (I have a very very high prescription, so glasses are very expensive for me).

I'm wondering, when my blood sugar gets stable, will I stop having blurry vision episodes? Should my vision go back to normal? Or is it going to stay at the worse prescription due to diabetes?

 

[Clivethedrive]

The symptoms your describing are quite common among diabetics,so don't worry with good diet and good bs's , your eyes will return to normal, i would hold off getting glasses until your bs has stabilised for a few weeks,all the best

 

[Mike d]

Agree with Clive .... get those numbers down and you will see a difference ... it will take time but they do correct in many cases.

 

[DeanLJ]

From what I've read (also asked) on here I think it's fairly normal to see changes as BG is correct

I'm going through an eyesight change too. had a new prescription last October, diagnosed T2 2.5 weeks ago.

After a week of cutting sugar and lowering carbs i've had to go back to my pre-October prescription.

My old prescription was single distance for both computer (inc. laptop on lap) and distance. It's now blurred for computer work so I'm working with my laptop and now wear off the shelf 'readers'. not great and i do have focusing probs but I'm just waiting out the changes and 'making do'

My new prescription for intermediate and distance is no longer any good

The Diabetic Nurse recommended not to get an eye test / new prescription until after my eye exam.

just waiting it out and managing as best i can at the moment

 

[Brunneria]

Yes.

High and fluctuating blood sugars affect the liquid in the eye.

As soon as you get your blood sugar under control (diet, exercise, and meds if those arent enough), your eyes should stabilise.

Long term high blood glucose can cause permanent damage too, and eventual blindness, but it looks like you havent got to that stage yet - which is a relief. But i would use that knowledge as an incentive to good, steady control of your diet and blood glucose.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

 

[Ali H]

Yep you need to get your blood sugars stable before having new glasses. Unbeknown to me mine had gone bonkers and several months later my prescription had changed dramatically. I then waited for a few months for things to settle down before having new glasses. I also have a complex prescription. Are you going to your annual retinopathy appointments too, really important to attend as they will pick up subtle changes.

Ali

 

[noreversegear]

Are you going to your annual retinopathy appointments too, really important to attend as they will pick up subtle changes.

Ali

Yes, thanks. When I find out I have something, I do a lot of reading. The eye stuff scares me the most, so I am diligent in getting my eyes fully examined. I even get digital photos of my retinas taken too.

 

[noreversegear]

Thanks everyone! I will wait to see if my sugar gets under control and my vision stabilizes before I get a new prescription pair of eyeglasses.

 

[Cl1ve]

Hi all . It's been 3 weeks since my diagnosis I managed to get my levels Down from 21 to 6ish in a week the result is blurred vision . I've been to hospital and have have a dilation test done and I've been told by the consultant that I need glasses . I drive so I will get the glasses as I can't wait weeks for my eyes to stabilise . So I'll post when and if my prescription changes
Clive

 

[Celeriac]

My ophthalmic consultant told me that it's the rollercoaster BGs which harm the eyes as well as constant high BG which harms delicate blood vessels in the eye.

When your BG comes down your blurred vision will settle and yes, if you put effort into controlling BG and eating healthily, there's no reason why your eyesight can't improve. Last three years my prescription for glasses has improved and I cann read without them now plus have the new equiv of 19/20 vision in one eye and 20/20 in the other.At one point, I was told that I needed laser treatment but within 6 months they had got a lot better.

 

[DeanLJ]

Hi all . It's been 3 weeks since my diagnosis I managed to get my levels Down from 21 to 6ish in a week the result is blurred vision . I've been to hospital and have have a dilation test done and I've been told by the consultant that I need glasses . I drive so I will get the glasses as I can't wait weeks for my eyes to stabilise . So I'll post when and if my prescription changes
Clive

Wow, well done getting down to the 6's so quickly

i'm nearly 9 weeks in and am only hitting the 9's from low 20's. i get down to high 6's low 7's during the day but my lowest fasting so far is 9.3.

my eyes are pretty much back on prescription now so i can use all of my glasses again. The first two months were hell though with vision changing weekly. not great when i have to use a computer all day everyday for my job. it made for a very tough couple of months.

 

[Cl1ve]

Wow, well done getting down to the 6's so quickly

i'm nearly 9 weeks in and am only hitting the 9's from low 20's. i get down to high 6's low 7's during the day but my lowest fasting so far is 9.3.

my eyes are pretty much back on prescription now so i can use all of my glasses again. The first two months were hell though with vision changing weekly. not great when i have to use a computer all day everyday for my job. it made for a very tough couple of months.

Hi yes I've been told by a consultant eye specialist after he did a dilation test that I will need glasses to drive . It would cost me more to be of work so I'm going to get glasses even if I only need the for a few weeks . Hope you get your levels down soon and your eyes sort themselves out
Clive

 

[Cl1ve]

Wow, well done getting down to the 6's so quickly

i'm nearly 9 weeks in and am only hitting the 9's from low 20's. i get down to high 6's low 7's during the day but my lowest fasting so far is 9.3.

my eyes are pretty much back on prescription now so i can use all of my glasses again. The first two months were hell though with vision changing weekly. not great when i have to use a computer all day everyday for my job. it made for a very tough couple of months.

Yes it is a pain I need to drive to work . So it will be cheaper to get glasses than be of work until they get back to normal . Even if I only need them for a few weeks . Hope you get your level right soon and thanks for the reply
Clive

 

[Cl1ve]

I am a just newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic. I had prediabetes for a couple years before this year (although my doctor never mentioned it, I just noticed when I reviewed my files). I've had blurry vision for a couple years now. I can still see but it just gets a bit blurry. I noticed it's very clear sometimes, but blurry other times.

My once stable eyeglasses prescription has been getting slightly worse. My right eye used to have a higher prescription (since I was a kid) and now my left eye "beat" my right eye with an even worse prescription.
Regarding my vision, I saw an optometrist for a thorough exam. My eyes are fine, my vitreous jelly had just separated, thus the floaters. But otherwise, my eyes are healthy. He asked me if my blood sugar was stable and I said no, it goes up and down, higher than 7 when I test it at home. He then said okay and wrote me a prescription for glasses... but I think I should hold off on that because I heard that when you get diabetes, your vision fluctuates and you should hold off until it's stable before you commit to spending a lot for new glasses. (the change is only slight). Is the optometrist just not very experienced with diabetes and vision? Or doesn't understand that money doesn't grow on trees and a person can't afford a $400 pair of glasses every 6 months. (I have a very very high prescription, so glasses are very expensive for me).

I'm wondering, when my blood sugar gets stable, will I stop having blurry vision episodes? Should my vision go back to normal? Or is it going to stay at the worse prescription due to diabetes?

Hi . I've been told by a eye consultant that I will need glasses for driving . It would cost me more to stay of work . So I'm getting glasses even if I only need them for a few weeks up till now I've only needed glasses for reading . So my diabetes has changed my eyesight . But I guess it's down to money . As always
Thanks for the responce hope your sight sorts itself out
Clive

 

[Grant_Vicat]

I am a just newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic. I had prediabetes for a couple years before this year (although my doctor never mentioned it, I just noticed when I reviewed my files). I've had blurry vision for a couple years now. I can still see but it just gets a bit blurry. I noticed it's very clear sometimes, but blurry other times.

My once stable eyeglasses prescription has been getting slightly worse. My right eye used to have a higher prescription (since I was a kid) and now my left eye "beat" my right eye with an even worse prescription.
Regarding my vision, I saw an optometrist for a thorough exam. My eyes are fine, my vitreous jelly had just separated, thus the floaters. But otherwise, my eyes are healthy. He asked me if my blood sugar was stable and I said no, it goes up and down, higher than 7 when I test it at home. He then said okay and wrote me a prescription for glasses... but I think I should hold off on that because I heard that when you get diabetes, your vision fluctuates and you should hold off until it's stable before you commit to spending a lot for new glasses. (the change is only slight). Is the optometrist just not very experienced with diabetes and vision? Or doesn't understand that money doesn't grow on trees and a person can't afford a $400 pair of glasses every 6 months. (I have a very very high prescription, so glasses are very expensive for me).

I'm wondering, when my blood sugar gets stable, will I stop having blurry vision episodes? Should my vision go back to normal? Or is it going to stay at the worse prescription due to diabetes?

Until 2010 I was the only member of the family not to need glasses or lenses, but when I was standing on Shoreham Station platform, aged 13 (that would be 1971), I was unable to read the nameplate on the opposite platform. Panic set in. Was I already going blind? Or was I suffering from cataracts? My mother took me to an optician that weekend, who could find little worth discussion.. However, they charged my mother for some placebo gold rimmed glasses. I later realised that it was blood sugar affecting my eyes. The glasses were to serve as props in School plays. (Taken from my book Fifty Years of Malfunction, available via [email protected] ).

I fully empathise with you. At least in the 1970s opticians were not expected to be conversant with diabetes, but the fact that your optometrist enquired about your blood sugar stability should have at least delayed prescribing glasses. Nearly 40 years ago I realised that my sight improved during more balanced control. Up until 1978, I had not heard of a testing meter, let alone dreamt of owning one. All I can say is that I escaped type 1, which I had from July 1959 - to August 2013 thanks to a kidney/pancreas transplant. I still only wear reading glasses, even though I had photocoagulation from 1978 - 1983 in both eyes. I wish you the best of luck.