Does Diabetic Retinopathy Affect People Of A Certain Age Group?

Most people are not aware of the health issues they might have as they remain undiagnosed. People tend to think that they are not prone to any disease at their age, but the changing lifestyle has made people of all age groups prone to many illnesses.

One of the most common health issues that people face is diabetes. You might think that diabetes only causes blood sugar issues, but it can also lead to other health problems. Both types of diabetes can create a high level of blood sugar in your body which can affect different organs including the kidney, heart, nervous system as well as eyes.

Effects of Diabetes on Eyes

Diabetes can damage the eye lens, optic disc, optic nerve, and retina of the eye. Diabetes can also lead to retinopathy. It is a disease that is caused when high blood sugar levels damage the back of the eye called the retina. Retinopathy can cause blurred vision, and can even make you permanently blind.

When can retinopathy occur?

The question that now arises is whether retinopathy affects people of a certain age group? The risk of retinopathy is connected to diabetes. Diabetes affects all ages, but the amount of high blood sugar reaches after a certain age. Therefore, retinopathy can hit you after you have had diabetes for a long time. According to one research published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, it is found that the risk of retinopathy is more in people above 50 years. Older people are more likely to develop diabetes and its complications.

It is advised that if you have any history of diabetes in your family, then you must get checked on time. This will save you from having health issues that can be caused by it including retinopathy. There are ways to cure retinopathy and you can be saved from these issues if you take action against it on time.