Last year I had gestational diabetes (diet controlled), and I am always on the watch for type 2 diabetes for that reason. For the past week, I have had really dry eyes. (I cannot even wear my contacts.) I know some of the things that diabetes can do is affect the eyes. What symptoms for diabetes have to do with the eyes, if any? How much of a chance do I have of getting diabetes? I have no family history, and I am at the high end of the normal weight for my height.

Patients who have had gestational diabetes that resolved after delivery have a 50% chance of developing overt type�2 diabetes later in life. The chance varies on a per case basis and ethnicity is a contributing risk factor as well as weight and physical activity. To decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, now is the time to become more physically active, improve your diet and maintain proper weight for your height and age.

The onset of diabetes may have no eye symptoms, but a typical symptom may be blurred vision and changes in vision for short periods of time necessitating changes in glasses more frequently than one might expect. Changes in vision vary from one day to the next or within the same day.

Dry eyes may be related to medications you may be taking, particularly diuretics. Hyperglycemia can affect the integrity of the cornea and secondarily disrupt the tear film, but this would be difficult to diagnose and would be treated with ocular lubricants.

CAG