Hypoglycemia can lead to vision loss
Lab mice demonstrate eye cell damage after
sustained hypoglycemia
A study conducted by State University of New York
Upstate Medical University, demonstrated that
chronic hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can lead to
vision loss.
 The
retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back
of the eye. It is part of the eye that can be
affected by
diabetes. The study, conducted on lab mice that
were genetically predisposed to hypoglycemia, proved
that chronic low blood sugar led to loss of retinal
function and also retinal cell death.
The study, which was published in the Proceeding
of National Academy of Sciences, is the first to
demonstrate the stresses on an animal's eye caused
by chronic low blood sugar. When researchers
restored blood sugar to normal levels in the test
mice, vision loss was delayed by several months.
These conclusions seem to validate the belief that
good blood sugar control can reduce retinal
deterioration caused by
diabetic retinopathy. This is especially
important to diabetics who are susceptible to
hypoglycemia due to ongoing insulin treatment.
ref: Retina Today |
