My 12 year old niece has been experiencing visual disturbances, and I think it might be related to diabetes since my father has it, but I’m not sure. She sees bubbles in going up and down in her peripheral vision, during the day and night. It’s distracting, and she just doesn’t know what it is. Could there be a connection?

To best sort out the concerns you have about the disturbances your niece is having is to suggest she have her eyes examined. It is more common to develop a need for eyeglasses at her age than it is to develop diabetes. You do not say what type of diabetes her grandfather has so it is difficult to say what relationship there may be other than having a positive family history of diabetes. I would recommend that she be seen by an eye professional who will dilate her eyes and one who sees children regularly.

CAG
Additional comments from Dr. Dilogen V de Alwis:

The symptoms that your niece describes do not correspond to anything to do with diabetic eye disease. In fact, I am at a loss to account for them. It is possible that she is experiencing a form of migraine — at her age, migraines are usually associated with headaches — does she get headaches or feel sick after the visual disturbance? If not, I would suggest she is seen by an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) just to rule out any underlying disease, but it is likely that nothing will be found.

DAdA