Eyes

The pupils in your eyes normally get smaller in the light and larger in the dark. Nerves in the autonomic nervous system control this. If these nerves suffer damage, the pupils react more slowly to changes in light.

Problems

• It may take the eyes longer to adjust to a dark room or a bright light.
• This nerve damage can be a safety risk at night. You may react too slowly to a car's headlights when driving. Or, you could stub your toe or fall when walking to the bathroom.

To reduce the risk of nerve damage, strive to:

• Keep your hemoglobin A1c at 7% or less (a 3 month average blood sugar test).
• Control blood pressure
• Don't smoke
• Eat a healthy diet
• Exercise most days
• Avoid or limit alcohol
• Get a yearly dilated eye exam

Questions?
If you have further questions about treatment for nerve disease of the eyes, contact your diabetes healthcare team.

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