Diabetic condition found in eye tests

Optometrist Ian Russell with images of the back of the eye where diabetes symptoms are often discovered. Photo / Paul Brooks

The eyes might well be the window to the soul, but they are also most certainly the window to your state of health.

Many Kiwis living with diabetes are unaware of a sight-threatening condition associated with the disease, despite many experiencing symptoms.

New research, conducted by Specsavers and Diabetes New Zealand, found that 83 per cent of respondents have experienced one or more vision related symptoms that could be a sign of diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to irreversible vision loss if left untreated.

However, nearly 38 per cent of those questioned didn't know, or were unsure, what diabetic retinopathy is.

More than half (55 per cent) said they had at some point experienced spots or dark strings floating in their vision (often known as floaters), 54 per cent had noticed blurred vision, 26 per cent fluctuating vision, and 10 per cent vision loss, all possible signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetes is a serious problem in this country, with more than 1.1 million New Zealanders living with diabetes or pre-diabetes 1.

Specsavers Whanganui optometrist Ian Russell agrees that raising awareness of the impact a diagnosis of diabetes can have on an individual's eyesight is critical and is urging people living with the disease, or with pre-diabetes, to talk early to their GP about how best to manage the condition and associated risks, such as vision issues.

"Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. It is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye."

He says the blood vessels start to leak.

"While symptoms or changes to vision may be harmless, they can also indicate an underlying issue and are not to be taken lightly," says Ian.

He says if the blood vessel damage occurs in the central part of the vision, it looks like a blob or a blur to the person affected.

"If it's in the peripheral part there will be missing pieces of vision in random places at the back of the eye.

"Worryingly, for many people the condition does not cause any noticeable symptoms so early detection is key to managing diabetic retinopathy."

So how does diabetes cause these problems?

"There's a good analogy that a friend of mine uses, where he talks about it like the sugar corrodes the pipes ... so the blood vessels aren't as intact as they should be so the blood leaks out of them.

"We are really lucky in Whanganui in that we've got a good diabetes programme at the hospital."

He says a patient's GP will diagnose diabetes and send them to the programme.

"If they pick up leaking, haemorrhaging or damage, there are usually two treatments: one is to inject medicine into the eye ... which stops further damage. Advanced damage can cause new blood vessels to grow around the eye, and those new blood vessels will cause further damage, so another treatment is to laser the back of the eye to stop new blood vessels from growing."

Ian says if he saw someone with diabetic retinopathy who has not been seen through the screening programme, he would send them up to the clinic at the hospital.

"And we also always liaise with the GP.

"The other thing diabetes can do in the early stages, or if it's not well controlled, is that the vision will change, so the prescription and clarity will fluctuate."

He says the great team at the hospital only check for diabetes.

"It is important for everyone to understand the importance of a regular eye test with their optometrist as other conditions could be detected."

He's talking about glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, etc.

"It is recommended that everyone gets their eyes tested every two years, whether you have diabetes or not. At Specsavers, an advanced OCT 3D eye scan is included as part of every eye test, which allows the detection of eye conditions earlier. We've got the gear."

At Specsavers stores across the country AA members can claim a free eye test every two years and Supergold Card Holders can obtain half price eye tests.