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Drastic Vision Changes

J

JordySloan

Member
Messages
11
Location
Northern Ireland
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi!

I got diagnosed 6 days ago and my vision has drastically changed. For the better, and for the worse. Long distance it seems to be almost perfect. (Before i had any sign of diabetes, my vision was very poor long distance) Short distance it’s terrible. Everything is blurry now. (It was perfect a few days ago) So essentially my eyesight long distance has gotten drastically better and my eyesight up close has gotten drastically worse. I’m confused about this considering surely it would be none or both? why has it went 50/50? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
 
Rapidly dropping high blood sugars down to a more normal level can cause temporary blurriness. The eyes have adjusted to being soaked in sugar and it takes a while for them to readjust again to the lower levels. Don’t buy any glasses just yet. It should settle soonish (a number of weeks rather than too many months from what I’ve read, it didn’t happen to me).

I’m assuming you changed something quite drastically on diagnosis that prompted the changes?
 
If the lenses in your eyes have changed focal length then that would be expected, as distance requires a long focal length and close needs a short focal length, so the effect is opposite. I had the same experience, it took a few weeks to return to near "normal".
 
My blood sugars went up to 39 in July 2019. I doubled down on Intermittent Fasting, cut my fruit and porridge, and got it down to 36 !
 
I had a dreadful time with my eyesight due to HbA1c levels going up and down. When first diagnosed I was about 47 on the scale: I managed to raise this to 108 because I was misinformed about eating fruit and, despite loosing weight, I was pushing my glucose levels up. I realised I couldn't see properly and resorted to seeking out old spectacles from years ago - I never throw things out, you never know when they may come in useful. Eventually I found a pair of over-the-counter spex that I bought years ago, to assist with getting splinters out of my fingers. They originally focused at about 6 inches away from my eyes. On visiting my optician for some new spex, I was told that the splinter-spex were exactly what I needed for driving (!) and he sanctioned the use of them whilst he made me some new ones. £150 later, and having drastically reduced my fruit consumption, I found that I could go back to my original glasses, as my HbA1c had gone back down to about 47 again, and my weight loss reached 3 stone. Don't rush to get new spex unless you really have to!
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I had the same with my eyes but in reverse. Close up things become more in focus and distant ones out of focus.
Lasted for about 4 weeks and now my vision is back to where it was perviously. Its just a time factor as long as your watching your bg levels now.
 
I was diagnosed T1 and started insulin. In the run up to diagnosis my eyes got a lot more short sighted. Within a week of starting insulin they started to correct. At one point I had amazing vision - unfortunately it didn't stick and I'm back to being short sighted again.

I got through a lot of disposable contact lenses
 
I went to Specsavers & they did a full eye test, they said they didn't pick any diabetes up on the test,my eye sight has gone terrible & I now need glasses,I pee a lot but don't feel tired, do you lot think I've got diabetes?
 
Princemart2nd said:
I went to Specsavers & they did a full eye test, they said they didn't pick any diabetes up on the test,my eye sight has gone terrible & I now need glasses,I pee a lot but don't feel tired, do you lot think I've got diabetes?
Click to expand...
You need to go to a doctor's for a diabetes check. An optician might spot something that gives a suspicion of diabetes but if they don't it certainly doesn't rule it out.
 

Could it be coincidentally age-related?
 
Poundland is great for cheap glasses for reading in the meantime.
 
My eyesight took a few months to settle down and, in fact, improved. I no longer need glasses at all. I agree with @Flora123 - get some reading specs from Poundland until it settles. You might find you need several pairs as it slowly changes.
 
Mine were so bad for about 6 weeks I joined audible to listen to my summer reading!
6 or 7 weeks later, I could see but I wear my glasses far more than before.
 
JordySloan said:
essentially my eyesight long distance has gotten drastically better and my eyesight up close has gotten drastically worse.
Click to expand...
A more gradual form of this change is the normal development of the aging eye. As we age we become more long sighted, which can be helpful for those of us who were near sighted to begin with, but obliges the already long sighted to hold written material out at arms' length in an attempt to read it.
 
It was an eye specialist who sent me to get a glucose tolerance test...He accused me of being an out of control diabetic... I said I was not diabetic and his reply essentially was..."we'll see". Sure enough..diabetic. Get you blood glucose levels somewhat close to normal then have you eyes re-checked...could take a couple of weeks for them to settle. All sorts of things happen to your eyes when the BGs are out of whack for any length of time. You will not know what your "real" vision is until then. Helen
 

My eyesight was absolutely appalling after being diagnosed and started treatment, I went to the opticians, and they said to wait, do what others have suggested and get some cheap reading glasses from poundland if vision is that bad. I ended up buying every magnification until my vision returned to normal.

Good luck with everything
 
I've worn glasses since I was four years old, I'm in my sixties now. I am short sighted and use glasses for distance, but not for reading. When I was first diagnosed as diabetic, and taking medication, my eyesight changed so much that I did not need glasses for distance, but did need reading glasses. I was advised by my optician and my diabetes nurse that once my body became used to my medication my eyesight would revert to it's previous state but slightly worse. That is indeed what happened. However, it was wonderful not to have to wear glasses at all for six weeks. Enjoy this change while you can.
 
When I started getting insulin for the first time, after a few days my vision became better. After a week I didn't need my glasses anymore! It was so strange, walking down the street without glasses. After another week or so, I had to put them back on.. My doctor said that later on I might need new glasses, because my vision could get a little bit worse. So keep an eye on your eyesight
 
Hi, I had exactly the same with my eyes for 2 months before I was diagnosed and 4 weeks after diagnosis my eyes are pretty much back to how they were previous. Hope this helps x
 
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