Diabetes Complications in the Heart
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people with
diabetes. Three out of four diabetes-related deaths are caused by heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease. People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to have
heart disease than people without diabetes. Even people with
type 2 diabetes who do not have heart disease are at an increased risk of having a
heart attack. People with diabetes also tend to have other
risk factors for heart disease, including:
Diabetes Complications Affecting the Eyes
Other diabetes complications affect the eyes. High blood glucose and high
blood pressure from diabetes can hurt four parts of your eye:
- Retina. The retina is the lining at the back of the eye. The retina's job is to sense light coming into the eye.
- Vitreous. The vitreous is a jelly-like fluid that fills the back of the eye.
- Lens. The lens is at the front of the eye, and it focuses light on the retina.
- Optic nerve. The optic nerve is the eye's main nerve to the brain.
Diabetic retinopathy is the medical term for the most common diabetic eye disease. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels inside the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision.
Two other common diabetes complications seen with the eyes include
cataracts and
glaucoma. People without diabetes can get these eye problems, too, but people with diabetes get them more often and at a younger age.
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