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Eyes

O

Oscardog

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Does taking insulin affect your eyesight. I've recently starting taking insulin and my eyesight seems to have changed from short sighted to long sighted. I don't know if it is related, anyone have any ideas?
 
Has the insulin improved your bg levels? I am guessing it has and funnily enough a swift improvement in bg levels can have an affect on our sight. Higher levels mean that the eyes have had time to adjust to some extent (and this is only up to a certain point) because the rise has been gradual. When our levels improve in a lot shorter period of time it can take the eyes a little longer (perhaps a few weeks) to readjust to the better bg levels. Think of it as a little like when you sit on your leg and then get pins and needles in your foot, you the change the way you are sitting and the discomfort gets worse before it gets better but it does get better.

My advice is to arrange an opticians appointment in a few weeks but do not run out and buy new specs tomorrow. Good luck.
 
Rapid improvement, say you had a high level after testing and then took appropriate measures which rapidly lowered your level back to a normal stable level can result in changes, refraction of the eye lens I think is what it is called. Can make things a little blurry as high levels also can. Sometimes a little watery.
 
Yes, rapid changes in blood glucose concentration can affect visual acuity, as well as the health of the retina and macular. A regular eye exam by an optician should be effective at highlighting any potential problems with your eye health.

There’s also another less understood factor to consider which is that it’s not all about the blood glucose. Insulin pushes the glucose out of the blood elsewhere, including tissues, organs and eyes. In your position I feel it would be wise to visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

You are probably fine, but for the sake of a trip to an opticians it’s better to be sure.
 
Jim Lahey said:
Yes, rapid changes in blood glucose concentration can affect visual acuity, as well as the health of the retina and macular. A regular eye exam by an optician should be effective at highlighting any potential problems with your eye health.

There’s also another less understood factor to consider which is that it’s not all about the blood glucose. Insulin pushes the glucose out of the blood elsewhere, including tissues, organs and eyes. In your position I feel it would be wise to visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

You are probably fine, but for the sake of a trip to an opticians it’s better to be sure.
Click to expand...
Hi @Jim Lahey, I would just like to point out that in T1D, at the beginning when insulin levels are very low indeed, glucose in high levels in the blood diffuses across into the lenses of the eyes. Insulin is not assisting it to get there, the high BSL is.
The vision is adjusted by the eye muscles and the brain to try to counter the resultant blurriness to a degree in this high sugar state.
Insulin by injection then starts to reduce BSLs. The high level in the blood lowers and glucose starts to move back out of the lenses of the eyes. The eye muscles and brain take time to accomodate this change so the blurriness may change but not immediately.
In ? 3 to 4 weeks provided reasonable control of BSLs is achieved the glucose in the lenses is now stable and at a normal level, and eye muscles and brain have fully adapted to this state.
 
kitedoc said:
Hi @Jim Lahey, I would just like to point out that in T1D, at the beginning when insulin levels are very low indeed, glucose in high levels in the blood diffuses across into the lenses of the eyes. Insulin is not assisting it to get there, the high BSL is.
The vision is adjusted by the eye muscles and the brain to try to counter the resultant blurriness to a degree in this high sugar state.
Insulin by injection then starts to reduce BSLs. The high level in the blood lowers and glucose starts to move back out of the lenses of the eyes. The eye muscles and brain take time to accomodate this change so the blurriness may change but not immediately.
In ? 3 to 4 weeks provided reasonable control of BSLs is achieved the glucose in the lenses is now stable and at a normal level, and eye muscles and brain have fully adapted to this state.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Thanks. I didn’t know that. OP is type 2 though so is insulin resistant. In this case I feel that exogenous insulin can only be pushing more glucose out of the blood elsewhere :)
 
Jim Lahey said:
Interesting. Thanks. I didn’t know that. OP is type 2 though so is insulin resistant. In this case I feel that exogenous insulin can only be pushing more glucose out of the blood elsewhere :)
Click to expand...
I can understand your reasoning and usually that would be the case. It seems that the lenses of the eyes are more forms of fibrous tissue that 'go with the flow' fluctuating directly with the BSL. As far as I know the lens does not need to burn sugar or other fuel.
 
Yeah all fascinating stuff and certainly the lens is what will be mostly affecting the visual acuity.

Though we shouldn’t forget the potential implications with the retina. Changes in blood glucose, up or down, can bring about retinopathy. Take it from someone who just yesterday saw photos of his retinas peppered with laser scars :oops:
 
Hi @Jim Lahey ........
Knowing you like to be correct in your advice I think I need to remind you......not all T2's are insulin resistant and not all of us are producers.
 
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