Newly diagnosed - question about eye sight

[Creggwood]

Hi all, I’m coming up to 1 week of being diagnosed with t1 diabetes and am starting to get my head around things, however I have a question about my eye sight.

Back story:
I have worn glasses since primary school and been wearing them or lenses permanently for 7 years. I had my eyes tested in January and needed stronger lenses, therefore got new glasses (not sure if this was the diabetes or not). A few weeks later I noticed that my new specs and lenses weren’t cutting the mustard and I couldn’t see anything; a result of the diabetes. Since being on insulin I have noticed a dramatic improvement in my eyesight and now my glasses are too strong but I still don’t have 20/20 vision. I have seen some posts of people saying similar things but that is doesn’t last. I am also aware that my eyesight is better when my blood sugar is lower.

Question: I am due to meet with my optician again in 3 weeks, will this eye test be reliable? I don’t want to shell out another £100+ on glasses for them to be wrong again.

TYIA

 

[catapillar]

Your blood sugar level really quite directly impact on your eye sight because the fluid in you eyes will also be more or less sugary depending on what your blood sugar level is. How thick (sugary) the fluid in the eyes is impact on the movement your eyes have to do to focus. You will have had high blood sugars for at least a few weeks pre diagnosis and your eyes will have got used to this. As blood sugars come back to normal your eyes are having to readjust to normal blood sugar levels. An eye test when you don't have stable, normal blood sugar isn't likely to be reliable. Whether you will have stable, normal blood sugar levels 4 weeks post diagnosis depends on how your insulin is being managed. Personally, I would consider giving it a little longer. Your eyes do need to get used to euglycaemia and learn to use that muscle memory of how to focus when euglycaemic.

 

[Creggwood]

Your blood sugar level really quite directly impact on your eye sight because the fluid in you eyes will also be more or less sugary depending on what your blood sugar level is. How thick (sugary) the fluid in the eyes is impact on the movement your eyes have to do to focus. You will have had high blood sugars for at least a few weeks pre diagnosis and your eyes will have got used to this. As blood sugars come back to normal your eyes are having to readjust to normal blood sugar levels. An eye test when you don't have stable, normal blood sugar isn't likely to be reliable. Whether you will have stable, normal blood sugar levels 4 weeks post diagnosis depends on how your insulin is being managed. Personally, I would consider giving it a little longer. Your eyes do need to get used to euglycaemia and learn to use that muscle memory of how to focus when euglycaemic.

Thank you.

 

[Alexandra100]

Question: I am due to meet with my optician again in 3 weeks, will this eye test be reliable? I don’t want to shell out another £100+ on glasses for them to be wrong again.

I agree with catapillar, it is too soon to spend a lot on new glasses. However, if you are finding it difficult to manage with incorrect ones you might consider getting a pair of £25 ones just to tide you over: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/offers/complete-glasses-from-25

 

[Circuspony]

Its taken quite a few months for my eyesight to really settle down. I'm a contact lense wearer and ended up ordering boxes on line of various different prescriptions as my eyes changed. My glasses gathered dust for a couple of months because the prescription was too strong, but I can wear them again now.

Overall my prescription hasn't changed much, but my astigmatism seems to have got a lot worse. When I saw the optician a fortnight ago she advised against buying new glasses even 6 months post diagnosis to see whether the astigmatism settles down. I was running a sugar level of around 10 when I saw her and made myself a note to try and get at a more stable level for a few days before my next appointment in case that was causing the issue.

 

[Crocodile]

It was the eyesight and changing glasses prescriptions that forced me to see the doctor. Being long sighted, mine actually improved. They kept changing all the time as the sugar level went up and down but I didn't know it until I saw the doc. An on the spot finger prick in his surgery had him nearly fall off his chair. Once under control it returned to its old setting quite quickly. Apparently the sugar causes some swelling in the lens. Makes sense as I'm long sighted so the extra bulge would bring the focal point closer to the lens.

Glenn