Eyesight after diagnosis

[Luke]

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with diabetes type 1 last week after going to the doctors/hospital to check my symptoms, one of which was seriously blurred vision.

Ive worn glasses for about 10 years now and I've found especially in the last 3/4 that my eyes were pretty bad without (and extremely bad in the last 2 weeks)

however since getting my blood sugar down my eyesight seems to have improved beyond anything i could have imagined like I keep taking my glasses on and off to compare because I can't believe my eyes. It crossed my mind that maybe I was undiagnosed for a longer time but I feel like that can't be the case because I never hypoed.

I'm quite a worrier so I'm starting to think this is too good to be true and that maybe it's just gotten better temporarily before something bad happens but wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else? Did it last? Or Did it get worse after?

Luke

 

[Kaylz]

Undiagnosed people don't generally hypo as we have no insulin our bs is far likely to be way too high also yes after diagnosis your eye sight may have become better as high sugars can cause changed in the shape of the eyes but some people find when they have their levels under control their eye sight improves x

 

[Northerner]

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with diabetes type 1 last week after going to the doctors/hospital to check my symptoms, one of which was seriously blurred vision.

Ive worn glasses for about 10 years now and I've found especially in the last 3/4 that my eyes were pretty bad without (and extremely bad in the last 2 weeks)

however since getting my blood sugar down my eyesight seems to have improved beyond anything i could have imagined like I keep taking my glasses on and off to compare because I can't believe my eyes. It crossed my mind that maybe I was undiagnosed for a longer time but I feel like that can't be the case because I never hypoed.

I'm quite a worrier so I'm starting to think this is too good to be true and that maybe it's just gotten better temporarily before something bad happens but wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else? Did it last? Or Did it get worse after?

Luke

Hi Luke, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, what insulin regime are you on and how are you coping? There's an awful lot to take in at first, but it does get easier in time - you're learning all the time. I'd highly recommend getting a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young People by Ragnar Hanas. It's a bit pricey, but it covers all aspects of living with Type 1 in a very accessible way (whatever your age!)

Regarding eyesight, your experience is very common. As @Kaylz says, high glucose can distort the shape of the eye, and getting things under control often comes with an actual improvement. It's always hard to know how long your levels might have been elevated, but it's highly unlikely to have been as long as 10 years - more normally, and dependent on age to some extent, it's a few months at most. I think in my case it was probably about 18 months (I was 49), for young children it can be a matter of days. It's more likely that the improvement that has come from getting your glucose levels under control is partly a perception as your eyes adjust back to what they were - the brain does remarkable things trying adjust when your sight starts to change, so it will have been working hard to correct the problems as your symptoms progressed - it's still doing that, so you're noticing a big improvement, but it's likely you will be back to the 'old you' eventually. Or not - these things are often very much down to the individual! 🙄 I wouldn't go buying any new glasses for a month or two, or ask your optician's advice if you are unsure 🙂

Please let us know if you have any questions and we will be very happy to help! 🙂

 

[Luke]

Thank you for the information guys 🙂
Hopefully the vision is here to stay!

 

[grovesy]

Welcome.

 

[Rosiecarmel]

Thank you for the information guys 🙂
Hopefully the vision is here to stay!

Fingers crossed! I noticed before diagnosis I was constantly rubbing my eyes. It felt like there was something in them but I could never get it out and was making my vision blurry. Once diagnosed, I immediately went and got an eye test at the opticians who said my prescription has got worse so I had to buy some new glasses. Fast forward to now, when my last hba1c was 54 and my sugars are relatively under control, my prescription is too strong! I had to go get glasses with my previous prescription in.

She also said my astigmatism has got worse but I'm not sure if that's diabetic related as everyone in my family has it!

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

Hi Luke, and welcome 🙂

I had badly blurred vision before I was diagnosed too - in fact it was my optician who told me I probably had diabetes and should see a doctor - and like you I am a long-term glasses-wearer. When I started on insulin my eyes did exactly the same as yours - I had to stop wearing my glasses because my vision became so good. I'm afraid that after a while my eyes readjusted and I needed my glasses again, but the good news is there was no damage to my eyes, they just went back to normal. Six years later they are still perfectly fine - I wear glasses as I did before but the diabetes has not had any lasting effect on my eyes at all.

As others have said, don't get any new glasses for a few months because it does take a while for your eyes to adjust.

 

[trophywench]

It's because high BG causes eyeballs to change shape for the simple reason that they are becoming dehydrated gradually! Mine kept up with the higher BG for months i should guess, you know until the thirsts, weight loss etc got the better of me and i consulted a doctor LOL Then the buggers starting injecting me with insulin and that meant my eyes tried to change back again into their proper shape and my lenses said B off I can't cope - so my eyes refused to focus properly for well over a month! Off work - couldn't read, watch TV, knit, sew - anything useful at all. Even doing ironing eg a shirt became really difficult and as for getting a crease in a pair of trousers - forget it.

Had 6 weeks off work (I worked in an office LOL) and was really really pleased to be able to go back there!

We just have to give them time - but if you were high without knowing last time you had new specs, then don't be surprised if the improvement continues.

 

[Grogg1]

Before I was diagnosed I was slightly short sighted - I only needed glasses for driving and TV but could manage without otherwise. My eyesight had been fairly stable for 30 years since when I first had my specs. Then a couple of weekss after being diagnosed with diabetes and my BG dropping I dramatically I suddenly found myself needing reading glasses but could see at a distance perfectly. I went to optician who tested my eyes and said I had perfect distance vision but my reading vision was awful!! She said she wouldn't prescribe me new lens just yet but wait a month to see if they settled though she did say she thought my high BG had been hiding the fact I had become in need of reading glasses. It didn't last. After about 3 weeks I felt my eyes were back to normal. I went for a repeat eye test and my distance vision remained improved, though not to the degree it was, but my reading vision was back to not needing specs. She did say it was unusual for this to happen and asked my permission to discuss my change in eyesight.

 

[Steff]

Hi and welcome to the forum luke

 

[Poppy460]

Hi welcome to the forum. I am type two and noticed that my eyes had really deteriorated in the couple of months before I was diagnosed. My optician says my eyes are fluctuating in strengths and weaknesses, although she perscribed a new pair of glasses for reading early after diagnosis, she is now waiting for them to stabilise before any new prescriptions. Quite a complex situation. Keep in regular contact with your optician they really know their business. Good luck.