I realize my dr said my vision would most definintely be blurred at the onset of getting used to the insulin at first. But now that I’ve been a diabetic for about 8 months I find my vision gets blurry when I go high. Does that happen to anybody and how do you handle it?
It’s a visual reminder to work on blood glucose control!
Some of the blurriness can be temporary, but high blood sugars damage the tiny blood vessels in the eye, causing them to swell or leak and obscure vision.
The good news: improved blood glucose control can halt the progression diabetes eye disease (retinopathy). Ask your doctor about getting a dilated eye exam. This is important to set a baseline–your eyes may already have some permanent signs of diabetes damage-signs that you can’t “see” but an eye doctor can. This eye exam should be repeated every year (more often if you have uncontrolled blood sugars or notice vision problems).
Laser surgery and other procedures can treat retinopathy. See Diabetics with Eye Problems on this site.
What Kelly said!
I definitely get blurry vision if my sugars are high for a few days, it will also usually take a few days for them to clear up once my sugars get back where they’re supposed to be.
I have retinopathy, but it has been improving over the last couple of ophthalmologist visits as my control has improved.
BTW, you REALLY need to see an ophthalmologist and have a dilated eye exam to find out if there is anything to worry about. With out dilating the eye, only about 5% of the retina is visible. An optometrist (the one who does glasses and contacts only) will not really will not do that, nor likely have the proper instruments to give a proper examination.
Could I suggest a retinal scan instead of the dilated eye exam? The scan is supposed to show more detail and your ophthalmologist can conveniently keep the digital photos to compare from year to year.
my optometrist always asks me how my sugars have been doing when i go for an appointment. he explained that your vision gets blurry when your bg is high because your eye absorbs glucose.
this is weird, but sometimes i find that my vision is clearer when i’m low.
When I first got diagnosed my vision which normally requires correction actually got better, in fact it was perfect. It was so nice!! Then I started taking insulin and my BG started coming down and my vision got worse and went back to the way it was prior to diagnosis. It all has to do with ocular pressure and high BG levels increase the ocular pressure and change the shape of your eye/cornea which affects the clarity. The things you learn!!!
David - this is a perfect explanation. This is exactly what happened to my eyes. My lens prescription got a whole lot better and my eyes needed minimal correction. I was thrilled! Unfortunately, my darn corneas went back to normal after 2 months of relatively normal blood glucose levels and I went back to being extremely nearsighted again.
Hi,
And thanks so much for your reply. I did have that eye exam and everything as far as the health of my eyes are fine so far. I just happen to notice the blurriness might be happening when my level is high.
Thank YOU!
Hi,
And thanks, I did hav ethe dialated exam and everything was good. But after that exam I seem to have figured the blurriness might go together with the high sugar and needed confirmation. Which it seems to be.
Thank YOU SO MUCH!!
Hi Dave,
You know my endo wanted to put me on the pump right away. The only reason why I didn’t is because my co-pay was $1700!!! But I’m glad I didn’t do it yet. My levels were good for a while but as of late they seem to be getting on the high side. So I’m adjusting again. Next open season I might switch to a new health plan that covers it 100%. Thank you, you gave some solid advice.
Amy:)
Im learning so much. Thanks for the info.
Amy:)
Hi,
Im so glad to be getting all thsi confirmation!
Amy:)
That makes a lot of sense. I guess I really have to try harder to regulate.
Thanks, Amy:)
I usually only get blurry vision if I drop too low. When I’m working on a pc, it’s usually the first sign that I’ve gone hypo.
Im near sighted and wear glasses I had no idea about blue vision. Thats awful… If you get your numbers under control would that still happen to you?? From alll the responses I got I see that everyone gets blurry when they go high. So I think I really just have to be more careful to stay steady.
Thanks,
Amy:)
so i guess both highs and lows get us all blurry then?
Both high and low can and do cause blurred vision. The difference with my lows, is that the vision returns quickly as I recover BS. With a high blurry vision hangs around for about a day after.
Rick Phillips
Of course reading the fine print of those lawsuits filed against also causes blurred vision. But I always get that correct when I get to court.
The same thing happened to me. I couldn’t read with my glasses on & had perfect vision without them. I was thrilled believing my vision had vastly improved. All that was soon over when I was DKA in the hospital weeks later.
Amy, see if you can get a referral to a retinologist, rather than an opthalmologist.
I love the computer. work doing videos for our skydiving buddies. Went to Wilmer Eye at Johns Hopkins for my yearly exam. The exam lasted 4 hrs and did everything. Took pics using die, did the ret test and my eyes are perfect after 53 yrs with diabetes. But after a few hours on the computer my eyes get burry and so far after two exams in 3 wks, the last to get script for glasses for just the computer, no one knows why! my sugars are good a1c 7.2. any suggestions? All the drs at Hopkins can’t believe my eyes for 53 yrs with diabetes. Joslin was impressed with my health overall, so what can it be???
Ditto what everybody else said. Another cause of blurred vision for me is that when my bg is high, my eyes get dry. Tears do not flow smoothly over dry eyes and can really good things up.