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Eye sight problems with LCHF

K

KimWheeler

Well-Known Member
Messages
71
These last 2 days my eye sight is very blurry. I can't seem to focus. Bg is 6.8. Even if I eat nothing seems to work. It wears off after a couple of hours. My carb intake is btw 10 to 20g. Any suggestions?

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Hi,

Could you give a few more details?
How long have you been low carbing, and how low is your version of low carbing? Did you start off with higher blood glucose which is now dropping?
The 6.8 you quoted, is that an HbA1c result, or a finger prick test? And if it was a finger prick test was it fasting? Before food? 2 hrs after?

Sorry for the barrage of questions, but blood glucose can and does affect the eyes. However, an established low carber would probably have blood glucose that is stable(ish) which wouldn't result in blurry eyes. Whereas a new low carber with levels dropping or fluctuating may experience blurry eyes while they adjust.

And, of course, the blurry eyes may not be connected to low carbing at all... in which case, your doc or optician would be able to give advice.

(I got very blurry eyes following a glucose tolerance test, because my blood glucose went from lowish, to VERY HIGH, then dropped sharply, and the rapid changes made my eyes blurry for a day or so. Couldn't read, drive or see the tv.)
 
Just lost my previous post as this website playing up. Briefly I have been low carbing 60 to 80g since May but have tried to go lower to get my b.s. down further. Everything was fine ..energy great but last 48 hours it's been bad. Couldn't read, drive or watch telly. My B.s. is around 6.8 at bedtime and 8.8 to 9.6 fasting . After tablets I'm about 6.8 2 hour's after food and that's been stable for ages. Today even when I had sugar nothing improved. I was checking for hypo and fluctuating but nothing sinister. But tonight thought s*d it and had a take away curry. And I feel great now. I'll raise my carbs up a bit and try again.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
Hi @KimWheeler the blurry vision could be due to your eye lenses re-adjusting. High glucose levels cause eye lenses to bulge gradually over time, which we don't notice; when a diabetic begins to purge the body of glucose via improved control, vision often goes for maybe a few days / weeks whilst the lenses adapt.

As this is your eyesight, you might want to ask your Doctor for a referral to an optician just for reassurance, but at least you know it could be one of the usual side effects of reducing your diabetes.
 
I found that I was getting blurred vision in the mornings - I couldn't read a paper for a couple of hours. It then improved after some months, but when I started getting BG's back down it came back for a while then settled again. As Mbaker said, it could well be the lenses re adapting. I've been checked at the hospital for a small bleed in one eye which has now gone
 
Couple of things.

Firstly, as my BG changes my prescription also changes. I have seen quite a change now I am on a fairly strict LCHF. If your eyes were bulging due to high BG and are now adjusting you probably don't want to "re-bulge" them by pushing your BG up again.
Blurry vision can also be caused by dry eyes. A simple check would be to hold a warm and wet face cloth over your closed eyes for about 30 seconds to see if the added moisture reduces the blurring. Dry eyes is also a known medical condition which can be checked for. I was formally diagnosed with this through referral to an eye specialist.


Secondly as far as I know you can walk into SpecSavers (for example) and book a free eye test on the basis of being diabetic. Certainly worked for me at our local branch. No skin off their nose because they regularly do free eye test offers anyway. They give your eyes a comprehensive work over which should spot any obvious problems (hopefully). So I don't think you need a referral from your GP. That would come in if you needed referring to a specialist (as with my case of dry eyes).
 
I take drops for dry eyes so that's one thing off the list. Thank you for your suggestion.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
It's known has blepharitis I have that it gives you dry itchy irritated eyes blurred vision due to dryness can be treated with artificial tears from your doctors and you can buy blepharitis wipes from asda pharmacy £10 a box. It was diagnosed by an optician. The 1st thought I had was my diabetes was attacking my eyes with the constant high sugar levels since gone low carb for 3 months
 
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