Being in lockdown hasn’t been the best for our bodies - we keep ordering in, we’re in front of our computers a lot and we barely exercise. If we keep at this, we can get diabetes which can blind us.

Blood sugar (glucose) is used as energy by the different cells in our bodies. The hormone insulin makes glucose usable as energy. However, if the body doesn’t make enough insulin or if there’s too much glucose for insulin to handle, blood sugar builds up. Over time, the excess sugar can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, nerve problems, blindness, and even death.

Diabetes makes our blood vessels swollen, leaky or end abruptly. Because of these abnormal changes, the nutrients and oxygen carried in the blood are not delivered to the different body parts.

In the eyes, this is apparent in the retina: leaks cause hemorrhage, form new faulty blood vessels, and build up fluids, causing blurred vision. The more uncontrolled your blood sugar, the worse the eye gets. Diabetic retinopathy develops and this can lead to more hemorrhages, retinal detachment, and macular edema, all of which cause vision loss.

Leaking blood not only causes hemorrhages in the retina but also creates clots in other parts of the eye. Drainage of aqueous fluid within the eye can be blocked increasing pressure within. If this remains unchecked, it can lead to glaucoma and optic nerve damage. These changes are irreversible and can cause permanent vision loss.

Blood sugar can also cause cataracts to form earlier. Our eyes have transparent lenses that help us see clearly. Excess blood sugar makes the lens swell. Aside from that, too much sugar changes the lens proteins, making them more opaque, ultimately blurring vision.

All these sound scary and we really should be scared. If we lose sight of prioritizing our health, we can lose our sight. If you’re not sure about your eyes’ status, consult your eye doctor today.