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Sugar, Diabetes & Glaucoma – What’s the Connection?

Sugar, Diabetes Glaucoma 640Diabetes is a disease caused by the body’s inability to use or produce insulin. Insulin is the hormone responsible for taking sugar out of the blood and placing it into cells, where it is used to create energy. When the body can’t use or produce sufficient insulin, it causes sugar levels to rise too high.

A common complication for people with diabetes is diabetic eye disease, a group of sight-threatening eye problems. Glaucoma is one of these diseases.

In fact, having diabetes doubles your risk of developing glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness worldwide. It is caused by pressure build-up within the eye, which leads to permanent damage to the retina and the optic nerve.

If you have diabetes, it’s important to manage your condition in order to preserve your eyesight.

How Diabetes Affects Your Eyes

Diabetes affects your body’s ability to maintain normal blood sugar levels. If your blood sugar rises too high, it can place stress on major organs, including your eyes and kidneys.

The vast majority of glaucoma cases present no symptoms until irreversible vision loss has occurred. Fortunately, your eye doctor can detect sight-threatening eye diseases early on by examining the retina and optic nerve. Left untreated, glaucoma can seriously impair your vision, or leave you partially or completely blind.

Importance of an Eye Exam

To limit the impact of diabetes on your vision, schedule regular visits to your eye doctor. This will enable your eye doctor to assess your eyes and diagnose any diabetes-related vision problems as early as possible. This can improve your chances of preventing or slowing the progression of glaucoma significantly.

If you have diabetes and are concerned about potential risks to your vision, contact to schedule an appointment. We can help preserve your vision before it’s too late.

serves patients from Georgetown, Limehouse, Acton and Halton Hills, Ontario and surrounding communities.

Q&A

Q: Is there a cure for glaucoma?

  • A: There is no cure for glaucoma. However, with early diagnosis and proper treatment, the risks of vision loss can be significantly reduced. That’s why routine comprehensive eye exams are so important.

Q: What glaucoma treatments are currently available?

  • A: Your eye doctor will most likely prescribe glaucoma eye drop medications that reduce intraocular pressure. If the eye drops don't work, laser or eye surgery may be the next step. Depending on the advancement of your glaucoma, surgery might be the first option for glaucoma treatment.




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a3ef93d0 34de 453f b5f4 5ffd895a5f85 (1)A Letter from Dr. Ben Giddens

Hello friends, I have retired!

I had 37 years of good fun in Georgetown and loved the gift of meeting so many warm and friendly people! I am very sorry that I didn’t have the time to chat with everyone about my exact plans, and felt guilty over that at times. It was not an easy task. If anyone wants, or needs to contact me, please send an email to my office and I will reply.

I am 66 years old and still feel like I am in good health. My wife died of cancer in 2021 but I have good friends and family and a fun life. I recently moved back to Toronto which is where I grew up as a teenager. I have an active outdoor life and have many ski trips and travel plans in front of me. Lots of interests and activities to explore with an overriding sense that I am a lucky guy. I am also a grandfather now.

I have always tried to employ staff and optometrists who have a heart. I think that is where the office is at today and I hope it continues. Everyone knows their work, and the heart matters.

Ben.