EP #11: From Glucose to Glasses: A Diabetes and Vision Discussion with Dr. Nguyen

Curious to know how diabetes and vision are intricately connected? Well, buckle up as we journey through this fascinating link with our esteemed guest, Dr. Thuy Nguyen. As part of Diabetes Awareness Month, we not only explore the impact of diabetes on the eye but also discuss its contribution to ailments such as diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Nguyen sheds light on the role of substances like sorbitol, that can accumulate in the lens causing it to swell and lead to fluctuating vision. Ever wondered why excess sugar in the blood can make the lens cloudy, resulting in conditions like cataracts? Tune in, as we have Dr. Nguyen unravel this for us.

We also dive into the nitty-gritty details of how diabetes can affect your prescription, making you more nearsighted. Dr. Nguyen, with her expert knowledge, emphasizes the importance of regular check-ups, controlling diet and exercise to manage these issues. The discussion takes a further informative turn as we delve into the risks and precautions related to cataract surgery for diabetic patients. There are golden nuggets for those facing this situation, with Dr. Nguyen’s guidance on addressing health issues before they escalate. Join us for an engaging conversation that brings you one step closer to understanding diabetes and eye health.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to the Jazzy Eyes podcast.
Taking care of your vision withexpert precision.
Here's your host, dr TweenNguyen.

Jeremy (00:14):
Hello everyone, welcome back to the Jazzy Eyes podcast.
I'm your host, jeremy Wolfe,joined by Dr Nguyen.
Dr Nguyen, we are on a rollercoaster ride of Diabetes.
It is upcoming DiabetesAwareness Month and we were
talking all about diabetes andhow it pertains to your vision.
I know in previous segments wecovered some various subjects

(00:35):
and I know you wanted to getinto a little bit more about
some of the ailments that cancome to the eyes as a result of
diabetes.
Please share with us.

Dr. Nguyen (00:45):
So we just talked about diabetic retinopathy and
how it affects the retina, butdiabetes can affect other parts
of the eyes, such as the lens.
You've probably heard ofsomeone in the family having
cataracts before.
Basically, you're going to sayoh, it's my grandmother, my
grandpa, Some grandparents hascataracts.
Cataracts is just your naturallens becoming cloudy over time.

(01:08):
It's usually most cataracts forage-related.
But there's another form ofcataracts, especially in
diabetic patients, where theirlens becomes cloudy prematurely
due to how much sugar is intheir blood.

Jeremy (01:25):
Fascinating.

Dr. Nguyen (01:30):
So the excess sugar in the blood, glucose, gets
converted to a substance calledsorbitol, which just sits and
accumulates in the lens andcauses chemical changes, breaks
down protein prematurely andcauses cataracts.

Jeremy (01:44):
Sorbitol sounds like an artificial sweetener.

Dr. Nguyen (01:47):
Yes, doesn't it?
Yes, yes, it certainly does.
Sorbitol causes cataracts in adiabetic patient and it can
actually lead to the swelling ofthe lens inside the eyes and
causes a prescription change,which is why, if you know a
diabetic, they would say oh,sometimes my vision is

(02:07):
fluctuating Some days it'sblurry, Some days it's not and
it's directly correlated to thefluctuation in their blood sugar
.

Jeremy (02:16):
It's interesting, as you're saying, that I'm thinking
back to all the times that myvision has kind of fluctuated a
little bit.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
I'm thinking in my head like do I have?

Jeremy (02:25):
diabetes.
I need to get checked out Isthat normal though that
sometimes I do see fuzzy,sometimes I don't.
I don't know if I'm justgetting older.

Dr. Nguyen (02:34):
What's going on?
A lot of things can causefluctuation of vision.
Diabetes and the cataracts isone, dry eyes is actually
another one, and when you wakeup in the morning your eyes are
just very tired from waking up.
Normal for your eyes tofluctuate and vision first thing
in the morning, but diabetes itcan cause fluctuation randomly
throughout the day.

Jeremy (02:55):
I'm thinking the figures are high.
When I wake up in the morningand I'm a little dazed and
confused, I just dunk my head ina bucket of ice water and that
wakes me up really good.

Dr. Nguyen (03:02):
The ice bucket challenge.

Jeremy (03:07):
I'm a firm advocate of ice baths, though, on the side,
yes, it's very good for yourmuscle recovery and everything,
yeah.

Dr. Nguyen (03:14):
But yes, the swelling in the lens due to
glucose and diabetes causes aprescription shift and most
commonly it makes you more nearsighted as opposed to far
sighted.
So your prescription when yourcataracts gets, when your
diabetes gets worse, you comeback for your, your annual exam.
We check the lens and see ifthere's any changes in the

(03:36):
cataracts or your diabetes.
And you might say that, oh, I'mnot seeing as well as I used to
.
I have to come closer to mycomputer to see.
And my diabetes has been out ofthe control.
Most likely it's the, the, thecataracts becoming worse from
the diabetes.
If you're already apre-diabetic, if you're already
a diabetic and it hasn't beencontrolled and you know that

(03:56):
your, your sugar levels are offthe roof, then it's not great.

Jeremy (04:02):
So I'll I'll leave on this note and I say this often
if you get anything from thesediscussions, take care of
yourself out there, watch yourdiet, exercise, address these
issues before they become issuesand obviously get routine
checkups, not just with youreyes but also at your doctor and
everything else, because thisstuff is a lot easier to manage

(04:25):
when you deal with itpreemptively and before it
becomes a big issue.

Dr. Nguyen (04:30):
Yeah, speaking of management too management, too.
A common surgery to get rid ofcataracts is cataract surgery,
where they take out that cloudylens and put in a clear lens so
that people can see clear.
But the thing with cataractsurgery and diabetics is you
have to take precautions becausethat person is a diabetic.
When you're a diabetic, you'reopen to much more risk after the

(04:51):
surgery, such as increasedmacular swelling or bleeding,
and most ophthalmologists won'tperform the cataract surgery on
you If they know that you're adiabetic and your diabetes is
uncontrolled.
They want you to take care ofthe underlying issues, such as
any diabetic retinopathy, beforethey even touch your lens.
So very important that you takecare of yourself.

Jeremy (05:12):
You said they just removed the lens and put a new
one in.

Dr. Nguyen (05:15):
Yeah, simple like that, right?
They just take it out, Justtake it out pop up.
Easy peasy?
No, not that simple.

Jeremy (05:23):
Dr Nguyen, anything else you'd like to share before we
wrap up?

Dr. Nguyen (05:29):
Yes, take care of yourself, control your diet,
exercise and exercise and dietare huge things, not just for
diabetes, but just for yourgeneral well-being 100%, Dr
Nguyen, always a pleasure.

Jeremy (05:47):
We'll look forward to catching you on a future episode
.
So you have a wonderful day.
And to our listeners take care,stay safe, stay healthy, and
we'll catch you next time.

Speaker 1 (06:04):
Thank you for listening to the Jazzy Eyes
podcast.
For more information, visitjazzyeyescom or contact
954-473-0100.