Cataract in diabetes –
Diabetic cataract
Cataract is considered as a major cause of visual impairment in diabetic patients. Senile cataract tends to develop atan earlier age and more rapidly than usual in diabetic patients.
 
The enzyme aldolase reductase catalyzes the reduction of glucose to sorbitol through the polyol pathway, aprocess linked to the development of diabetic cataract NADPH* dependent aldolase reductase reducesexcessive glucose to sorbitol and intracellular accumulation of sorbitol leads to osmotic changes resulting inhydropic lens fibers that degenerate and form sugar cataract.
 
The typical diabetic cataract is snowflake cataract, i.e., dense white subcapsular opacities in the anterior and posterior cortex resembling a snowstorm.
 
As blood- sugar levels fluctuate, visual acuity and refractive error can change  Fluctating refractive error. This causes frequent change in optimal eyeglass prescription.
Snowflake
Sunflower
Nuclear cataract
Oil drop