Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by latvianchick on February 26, 2011 at 11:02pm

I think you were just unlucky! I had diabetes for 10 years with all the symptoms before I was diagnosed. I lost a phenominal amount of weight (half my body weight) and was tired/thirsty ........ and my doctor was slow on the uptake and had me down as a problem drinker (ketones). It was only when I went into hospital (and after another 6 weeks) that I was "accidentally" diagnosed. However, I did not have cataracts.

I do have a friend who at the age of 47 had the first of her cataract operations done, even though she was the youngest by a long shot. I think it depends on the severity of your cataracts and down to the surgeon whether he does the surgery.

You might have been diabetic for some time before you were diagnosed, but it is unlikely that it caused cataracts, those were probably growing slowly too, though I am not an opthalmologist. Having said that, we do seem to get things that non-diabetics might not get for many years!

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Permalink Reply by Terrie on February 26, 2011 at 11:46pm

I know of 2 other Diabetics that I met some years ago on another Diabetes site. The Male had cataracts at age 14 and the Female at age 16. They both had the cataracts removed not too long after. I thought it was strange at the time but I still do not think it is a common occurance. They both said that it was not caused by Diabetes.

http://www.childrenfirst.nhs.uk/teens/health/conditions/c/cataracts...

Some Children are born with cataracts or are dxd. with them within the first 2 years after birth.

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Permalink Reply by Asma on February 27, 2011 at 11:11am

I've read once about non-diabetes related cataracts,but that's a long shot for me I guess.

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Permalink Reply by Asma on February 27, 2011 at 11:13am

yup,with the right amount of consciousness,we could very possibly outlive them :-)
but it seemed kind of weird,having a complication that early.I know they're fine and reversable,but I'm afraid of what could come next,I don't want to be a 25yrs old with her kidneys failing!.

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Permalink Reply by Samantha on February 27, 2011 at 12:15am

Do you have a family history of cataracts?

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Permalink Reply by Asma on February 27, 2011 at 11:10am

nope.

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Holko on February 27, 2011 at 3:05pm

My Ophto said cataracts have more to do with sun exposure than diabetes.

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Permalink Reply by Asma on February 27, 2011 at 3:21pm

do you have any resource I could check?,thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Jen on February 27, 2011 at 5:02pm

I was diagnosed with cataracts at age 18 (after 9 years of diabetes) BUT they were a complication of another eye condition I've had since birth and probably had nothing to do with diabetes. There are people without diabetes who get cataracts at a young age, too. Sometimes it's a result of another underlying eye condition, so make sure your ophthalmologist does a thorough exam (not to freak you out or anything--they can also be a complete fluke).

I still have not had mine removed more than 10 years later. They are affecting my vision a bit, but for me the procedure to have them removed is riskier, and I already had greatly impaired vision even before they developed, so I'm waiting until they have more of an impact to do anything about them.

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Permalink Reply by Equestrian on March 1, 2011 at 7:54am

I developed metabolic cataracts after having T1 diabetes for 42 years. Metabolic cataracts are not the same as age related cataracts. The internet has extensive information on the detail of both types of cataracts, and from what I have read, it would be unlikely that you would develop metabolic cataracts after one year of a Type 1 diagnosis. My cataract seemed to present itself overnight, appearing as a white, cloudy film. It effected my vision in one eye enough to prompt me to have it removed. The good news is that the procedure was relatively simple and within a short time my vision was 20/30, I also note that this is with the addition of an implanted lens. Some interesting evidence is out there on benfotiamine and its benefit to retinopathy and degenerative eye disease related to diabetes. Also, know that most people, diabetic or not, have the beginnings of cataract formation in their 30's, but treatment is not required until many years later. I would question your eye specialist a bit more on the status of your cataracts.

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