Why would a patient with DM have cataracts?

If left unchecked, high blood sugar slowly damages blood vessels throughout the body. This includes the tiny blood vessels in the eyes. And when diabetes affects these blood vessels, there’s the risk of cataracts and other eye conditions. Cataracts are the result of high sugar levels in the aqueous humor.

Is cataract a complication of diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic systemic disease that has increases in prevalence over time. DM can affect all ocular structures, with cataract being the most common ocular complication.

Is cataract surgery safe for diabetics?

Cataract surgery is a common and safe procedure, but can be associated with vision-threatening complications in the diabetic population, such as diabetic macular edema, postoperative macular edema, diabetic retinopathy progression, and posterior capsular opacification.

How long does it take to go blind from diabetes?

Some studies suggest that around 17 million worldwide have proliferative diabetic retinopathy and without treatment over half of the patients with high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy will go blind within 5 years.

Do all diabetics go blind?

But if retinopathy is diagnosed early, blindness can be prevented. Although many people with diabetes develop impaired vision, fewer than 5% suffer severe vision loss.

How is diabetes mellitus related to cataract surgery?

Diabetes mellitus is a disease of elevated blood sugar due to the insufficient production (type 1) or action (type 2) of insulin. Type 1 diabetes requires insulin injections, whereas type 2 is managed with diet, exercise, tablets or insulin injections, if needed. The impact of cataract is twofold:

Can a diabetic get Snowflake cataract surgery?

Studies show that nearly 25 percent of people with type 2 diabetes undergo cataract surgery while close to 10 percent of people with type 1 diabetes have cataract surgery. Diabetes can increase the risk for developing the following types of cataracts: Senile cataracts (age-related) Snowflake cataracts; Posterior subscapular cataracts (PSC)

Can a person with diabetic retinopathy have cataract?

People who are young and have both diabetes and cataract may have neglected their blood sugar control over the years or may not have had access to facilities to enable them to achieve good control. If blood sugar is not controlled, it will be very difficult to prevent vision loss to diabetic retinopathy.

Can a cataract be reversible in a diabetic?

Cataracts may be reversible in young diabetics with improvement in metabolic control. The most frequently seen type of cataract in diabetics is the age-related or senile variety, which tends to occur earlier and progresses more rapidly than in nondiabetics.