Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition that affects how the body controls blood sugar. Over time, high blood sugar can quietly damage many parts of the body, including the eyes.
One of the most serious eye problems linked to diabetes is diabetic eye disease, which can slowly lead to vision loss if it is not found and treated early.
The challenge for doctors has always been that eye damage often begins long before patients notice any vision changes. By the time symptoms appear, some of the damage may already be permanent.
A new study published in the journal Eye Vision suggests that scientists may have found a better way to detect very early eye changes in people with type 2 diabetes.
The research was led by Sara Oliveira from the University of Coimbra in Portugal, along with a team of researchers who focused on tiny changes in the retina that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
The retina is a thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye that senses light and sends visual signals to the brain. It is essential for clear vision. In diabetes, high blood sugar can affect the tiny blood vessels and nerve cells in the retina.
Traditionally, doctors look for visible signs such as bleeding, swelling, or thickening of the retina. However, these signs usually appear only after the disease has already progressed.
In this study, the researchers used a special eye imaging tool called optical coherence tomography, or OCT. This technology works like an ultrasound but uses light instead of sound.
It creates very detailed images of the retina, allowing doctors to see its layers clearly. The researchers also measured how well the retina was functioning using electrical signals, which helps show how healthy the retinal cells are.
The study followed a type 2 diabetes model over time. Eye scans were taken before diabetes began and again at four, eight, and twelve weeks after diabetes was induced.
The researchers carefully analyzed the images using computer-based methods. Instead of only measuring how thick the retina was, they focused on something called texture. Texture refers to patterns in the image that describe how smooth, rough, uniform, or complex the retinal tissue appears.
The results showed that certain layers of the retina changed in texture as diabetes progressed. These changes were especially clear in areas involved in processing visual signals.
Some texture features increased, while others decreased, showing that the structure of the retina was slowly changing even when the retina still looked mostly normal. These changes became more noticeable at eight and twelve weeks.
Interestingly, many of the texture changes found in this study were also seen in earlier research on type 1 diabetes. This suggests that different types of diabetes may cause similar early damage in the retina, even though the diseases develop differently.
The researchers also observed mild thinning of the retina and reduced retinal function. At the same time, proteins that help keep retinal cells tightly connected showed slight weakening.
However, the main protective barrier of the retina remained intact. This means the eye damage was still at a very early stage, before major breakdown or leakage occurred.
According to co-senior author António Francisco Ambrósio from the University of Coimbra, this method could open a new door in early diagnosis.
By detecting small structural changes hidden inside OCT images, doctors may be able to identify people at high risk of eye disease much earlier than before. This could allow treatment to begin before vision is affected, leading to better long-term outcomes.
When reviewing and analyzing these findings, the study highlights an important shift in how diabetic eye disease might be detected in the future.
Instead of waiting for visible damage, doctors could use advanced image analysis to spot early warning signs. This approach does not require invasive procedures and builds on technology that is already used in many eye clinics.
However, further studies in human patients will be needed before this method becomes part of routine care. Researchers will also need to confirm how well these texture changes predict future vision problems.
Even so, the study provides strong evidence that retinal texture analysis could become a powerful tool for early detection, helping protect vision in people living with type 2 diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about diabetes and vitamin B12, and the right diet for people with type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat smart with diabetes, and turmeric and vitamin D: a duo for blood pressure control in diabetic patients.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
