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myopia and diabetes

E

Elias DT1

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
first I want to know what effect diabetes has on myopia and vice versa?
Well I can tell you this: I have type 1 diabetes for 21 years, when I had diabetes the first time my eyesight was -2.5 right eye and -2.0 left eye and I saw things fuzzy without my glasses I was hospitalized for 9 days, then when my blood sugar became normal I left the hospital, in this period I saw things clearer than before without my glasses, and even I saw poorly with my glasses, then I went back to my initial state -2.5 / -2.0 until today. So here too I can't find an explanation.
 
Due to the increased sugar in your bloodstream and other fluids, the pressure in your eyeball increases due to osmosis. This small change in shape changes the focal length of the lens, over time your brain adjusts your focusing to compensate. When you rapidly reduce your blood sugar it doesn't give the brain time to re-compensate and your eyesight changes for the better or worse until it catches up.
 

Well I find your opinion interesting, you explained well with arguments saying medical, I think it is a doctor's opinion.
But I add that in the period of few days after hospitalization my vision was better than before, even better than when I was not diabetic, but just for a few days. I think your explanation is good in general and hold good for my case.
 
I am longsighted and my reading got worse and distance got better when I reduced my blood sugar. The opposite from you as I have plus lenses in my varifocals. When my BG settled down my eyesight returned to how it was previously or nearly.
 
You might find this paper interesting http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/6185/3/Refractive_Error_Changes_in_DM_FINAL.pdf

It says:-

"The underlying mechanism governing the relationship between plasma glucose concentration and refractive error is not fully understood. There is no clear answer as to whether the refractive changes seen are due simply to changes in refractive index of the cornea, aqueous humour or lens or whether swelling of the lens occurs causing changes to the its curvature, position or size. It is possible that both the refractive index and surface curvature change, in which case either a myopic or hyperopic response may occur, depending on the individual’s physiology"
 
Thanks, very interesting paper.
As with many things it would seem the more you research the more simple explanations are not as simple as you thought. The basic idea that your eyesight changes with increased BG, your brain compensates and then your eyesight is temporarily better or worse when BG is normalised, is still true I think, even if we are not sure about the mechanism of the original change.
 
Dark Horse said:
Do you have a link with evidence that this happens?
Click to expand...
I will look for one when I have more time but it's how eyesight works. There is fixed focusing by the cornea and a lens which the brain varies to focus on near or far objects using muscles to change its shape. How much the muscles have to change the shape and therefore the focal length has to be learned.
 

thank you all, it's very interesting, I'll read the article, your answers are very well argued
 
I have been short sighted for 40 years with a fairly stable prescription for the last 20. My first clue that something was wrong was becoming significantly more short sighted very quickly.

Optician just told me my eyes were getting worse but such a dramatic change didn't feel.right.

After about 8 weeks, dramatic weight loss, obsessive drinking etc etc I took myself off to my GP. Fast forward past a T2 misdiagnosis to getting put on insulin and within a week my short sightedness started to correct. I went 2 weeks with 20:20 vision - sadly it didn't last and I got more short sighted again.
 
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