Glaucoma

Diabetes can lead to glaucoma. Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve is damaged, leading to vision loss. It is caused by a poorly understood group of diseases. Most, but not all, of these diseases cause an increase in intraocular pressure, or pressure inside the eye ball. People with diabetes are about 40 percent more likely to suffer from glaucoma than people without diabetes, according to the ADA. The longer a person has diabetes, the greater the risk for glaucoma. The risk for glaucoma also increases with age. Usually, the damage to the optic nerve that occurs with glaucoma does not cause symptoms. High intraocular pressure can be treated with medicine, usually eye drops, to prevent damage to the optic nerve.