Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHigh Blood Sugar and Blurry VisionOther Diabetes SymptomsDiabetes Risk FactorsDiabetic RetinopathyWhat to DoFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
High Blood Sugar and Blurry Vision
Other Diabetes Symptoms
Diabetes Risk Factors
Diabetic Retinopathy
What to Do
Frequently Asked Questions
People without a diabetes diagnosis who experience blurry vision after eating should see a healthcare provider—especially if they havediabetes risk factors. Left unchecked, diabetes can lead toserious complications, including blindness.
This article discusses the causes of blurry vision after eating and explains why it occurs. It also explains diabetic eye complications and treatments.
Vision is a complex process. Light enters the front of theeye, known as thecornea, and passes through to the lens. The cornea and lens work together to focus the rays onto theretina, the thin, light-sensitive tissue located at the back of the eye.
Retina cells then absorb that light and convert it into electrochemical impulses. They are then sent along theoptic nerveand to the brain, where they are translated into the image you see.
Eating a meal high in carbohydrates can cause a sudden increase in blood sugar levels. This is called postprandial hyperglycemia.It happens as your body breaks carbohydrates down into sugars, which enter your bloodstream. Carb-heavy foods that may cause a blood sugar spike include:
Sudden high blood sugar causes fluid to move in and out of the eye. As a result, the lens swells, changing its shape, and blurring your vision.When your blood sugar levels return to normal, the lens returns to its original shape, restoring regular vision. The effects can last for a couple of days.
What Causes Sudden Blurry Vision?
Other Symptoms of Diabetes
Blurry vision after eating is just one symptom you might experience if you have diabetes. Some others include:
Symptoms associated with diabetes often go unnoticed because they can be either mild or nonspecific. This is why it’s important to see a healthcare provider for an annual exam, especially if you have risk factors for diabetes.
High blood sugar, also known ashyperglycemia, is possible if you have normal or prediabetic blood sugar levels.Still, make sure to see a healthcare provider if you have blurry vision after eating and/or any of these other symptoms.
Risk Factors For Diabetes
Type 2 diabetesis the more common type of diabetes thantype 1. About 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, and 90% to 95% of them have type 2 diabetes.The risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
Unmanaged diabetes can potentially lead to vision loss.People with diabetes are at risk of developingdiabeticretinopathy. This condition occurs when high blood sugar causes damage to the retina. If diabetes remains uncontrolled, it can result in blindness.
Diabetes can be diagnosed with one of several blood tests. If your tests are normal, your healthcare provider may consider other potential causes for your blurry vision, such as allergies, migraine, a bacterial or viral infection, and medication use.
Diabetic retinopathyis an eye disease associated with diabetes. It can happen in those with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and is typically associated with those who have uncontrolled diabetes. Early diagnosis and treatment can lower your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy progresses through four stages. In the early stages, blood vessels in the retina begin to swell and leak fluid. Over time, the swelling increases, and fluids build up in the macula at the center of the eye.
In later stages, blood vessels become blocked and new blood vessels start to grow. Because these new blood vessels are fragile, they may leak more fluid into the macula, causing vision problems such as blurriness and reduced field of vision. In the most severe cases, blindness can occur.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
There are often no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. As diabetic retinopathy progresses, blurry vision may be a key symptom. You may also start to see dark spots in your vision and experience a change in the colors you can see.
Managing and Preventing Complications of Diabetes
What To Do If You Have Blurry Vision After Eating
If you experience blurry vision after eating, it’s important toseek medical helpas soon as possible. Blurry vision after eating is a clear sign of diabetes and should not be ignored.
Meanwhile, paying attention to what causes your blurry vision after eating can help prevent it from occurring. Try lowering your carbohydrate intake, and choose foods that cause a gradual, rather than rapid, increase in blood sugar levels.
If your rise in blood sugar is not associated with any serious symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, or dry mouth, you could try exercising as a way to lower your blood sugar. The level of exercise does not have to be strenuous. Research has shown that just a 15-minute walk after every meal can help manage blood sugar levels for a 24-hour period.
If you are already being treated for diabetes and you get blurry vision after eating as a new symptom, talk to your healthcare provider. Your diabetes management plan may need to be revised.
Best Fast Food for Diabetes
Summary
Blurry vision after eating is a symptom of diabetes. It happens because a spike in blood sugar causes fluid to move in and out of the eye, changing its shape.
If you experience this symptom, talk to your healthcare provider. Untreated diabetes can lead to complications like diabetic retinopathy, which may cause permanent damage to your vision.
A Word From Verywell
Blurry vision after eating can be a warning sign that you have diabetes. If you experience this, it’s important that you make an appointment with your healthcare provider to find out whether diabetes or something else is causing the issue.
Possibly. Research links irritable bowel syndrome to dry eye disease. When your eyes are dry, it can become difficult to focus. Precisely why IBS can cause dry eye is unclear.
Yes, hypertension can lead to vision problems. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the retina, the layer of the eye that changes light and images into nerve signals sent to the brain. The damage occurs slowly over time.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kiziltoprak H, Tekin K, Inanc M, Goker YS.Cataract in diabetes mellitus.World J Diabetes. 2019;10(3):140-153. doi:10.4239/wjd.v10.i3.140National Eye Institute.How the eyes work.González-Rodríguez M, Pazos-Couselo M, García-López JM, et al.Postprandial glycemic response in a non-diabetic adult population: the effect of nutrients is different between men and women.Nutr Metab (Lond).2019;16:46. doi:10.1186/s12986-019-0368-1Whitehead M, Wickremasinghe S, Osborne A, Van Wijngaarden P, Martin KR.Diabetic retinopathy: a complex pathophysiology requiring novel therapeutic strategies.Expert Opin Biol Ther.2018;18(12):1257-1270. doi:10.1080/14712598.2018.1545836Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Type 2 diabetes.American Diabetes Association.Eye complications.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of diabetes.DiPietro L, Gribok A, Stevens MS, Hamm LF, Rumpler W.Three 15-min bouts of moderate postmeal walking significantly improves 24-h glycemic control in older people at risk for impaired glucose tolerance.Diabetes Care.2013;36(10):3262-3268. doi:10.2337/dc13-0084Asproudis I, Tsoumani AT, Katsanos KH, et al.Irritable bowel syndrome might be associated with dry eye disease.Ann Gastroenterol. 2016;29(4):487-491. doi:10.20524/aog.2016.0064Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.High blood pressure and eye disease.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kiziltoprak H, Tekin K, Inanc M, Goker YS.Cataract in diabetes mellitus.World J Diabetes. 2019;10(3):140-153. doi:10.4239/wjd.v10.i3.140National Eye Institute.How the eyes work.González-Rodríguez M, Pazos-Couselo M, García-López JM, et al.Postprandial glycemic response in a non-diabetic adult population: the effect of nutrients is different between men and women.Nutr Metab (Lond).2019;16:46. doi:10.1186/s12986-019-0368-1Whitehead M, Wickremasinghe S, Osborne A, Van Wijngaarden P, Martin KR.Diabetic retinopathy: a complex pathophysiology requiring novel therapeutic strategies.Expert Opin Biol Ther.2018;18(12):1257-1270. doi:10.1080/14712598.2018.1545836Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Type 2 diabetes.American Diabetes Association.Eye complications.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of diabetes.DiPietro L, Gribok A, Stevens MS, Hamm LF, Rumpler W.Three 15-min bouts of moderate postmeal walking significantly improves 24-h glycemic control in older people at risk for impaired glucose tolerance.Diabetes Care.2013;36(10):3262-3268. doi:10.2337/dc13-0084Asproudis I, Tsoumani AT, Katsanos KH, et al.Irritable bowel syndrome might be associated with dry eye disease.Ann Gastroenterol. 2016;29(4):487-491. doi:10.20524/aog.2016.0064Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.High blood pressure and eye disease.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kiziltoprak H, Tekin K, Inanc M, Goker YS.Cataract in diabetes mellitus.World J Diabetes. 2019;10(3):140-153. doi:10.4239/wjd.v10.i3.140National Eye Institute.How the eyes work.González-Rodríguez M, Pazos-Couselo M, García-López JM, et al.Postprandial glycemic response in a non-diabetic adult population: the effect of nutrients is different between men and women.Nutr Metab (Lond).2019;16:46. doi:10.1186/s12986-019-0368-1Whitehead M, Wickremasinghe S, Osborne A, Van Wijngaarden P, Martin KR.Diabetic retinopathy: a complex pathophysiology requiring novel therapeutic strategies.Expert Opin Biol Ther.2018;18(12):1257-1270. doi:10.1080/14712598.2018.1545836Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Type 2 diabetes.American Diabetes Association.Eye complications.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of diabetes.DiPietro L, Gribok A, Stevens MS, Hamm LF, Rumpler W.Three 15-min bouts of moderate postmeal walking significantly improves 24-h glycemic control in older people at risk for impaired glucose tolerance.Diabetes Care.2013;36(10):3262-3268. doi:10.2337/dc13-0084Asproudis I, Tsoumani AT, Katsanos KH, et al.Irritable bowel syndrome might be associated with dry eye disease.Ann Gastroenterol. 2016;29(4):487-491. doi:10.20524/aog.2016.0064Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.High blood pressure and eye disease.
Kiziltoprak H, Tekin K, Inanc M, Goker YS.Cataract in diabetes mellitus.World J Diabetes. 2019;10(3):140-153. doi:10.4239/wjd.v10.i3.140
National Eye Institute.How the eyes work.
González-Rodríguez M, Pazos-Couselo M, García-López JM, et al.Postprandial glycemic response in a non-diabetic adult population: the effect of nutrients is different between men and women.Nutr Metab (Lond).2019;16:46. doi:10.1186/s12986-019-0368-1
Whitehead M, Wickremasinghe S, Osborne A, Van Wijngaarden P, Martin KR.Diabetic retinopathy: a complex pathophysiology requiring novel therapeutic strategies.Expert Opin Biol Ther.2018;18(12):1257-1270. doi:10.1080/14712598.2018.1545836
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Type 2 diabetes.
American Diabetes Association.Eye complications.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of diabetes.
DiPietro L, Gribok A, Stevens MS, Hamm LF, Rumpler W.Three 15-min bouts of moderate postmeal walking significantly improves 24-h glycemic control in older people at risk for impaired glucose tolerance.Diabetes Care.2013;36(10):3262-3268. doi:10.2337/dc13-0084
Asproudis I, Tsoumani AT, Katsanos KH, et al.Irritable bowel syndrome might be associated with dry eye disease.Ann Gastroenterol. 2016;29(4):487-491. doi:10.20524/aog.2016.0064
Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.High blood pressure and eye disease.
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