Yes, kidney disease significantly affects your eyes, causing issues like puffy eyes (periorbital edema), dry, red eyes, blurry vision, and increasing risks for conditions like retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts, due to shared risk factors (diabetes, high blood pressure) and the buildup of waste products and fluid, impacting the retina and surrounding structures.
When chronic kidney disease becomes advanced, loss of kidney function can cause:
Eye Puffiness
This can make it look like you have bags under your eyes. Edema (fluid buildup) due to kidney disease is often associated with swelling in the hands, feet, and lower legs. However, fluid can also collect around your eyes, making them look puffy and swollen.
Kidney damage is now mild to moderate and your kidneys are beginning to struggle with filtering waste and extra fluid out of your blood. Stage 3 CKD is split into two stages: 3a and 3b. At 3a, your eGFR is 45-59ml/min. At 3b, your eGFR is 30-44ml/min.
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Water is not generally restricted during stage 3a unless there are symptoms of retention such as difficulty breathing or swelling in feet/ankles. For those without a fluid restriction, 2 liters for women and 3 liters for men is what is generally recommended.
Ocular disease, particularly cataracts and subconjunctival calcification, is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 to 5 (1,2), but retinal abnormalities also occur. These include microvascular and diabetic retinopathy (2), macular degeneration (3), hemorrhage, and calcification (4–6).
Swollen or puffy face
Failing kidneys don't remove extra fluid, which builds up in your body causing swelling in the face.
There's no cure for chronic kidney disease (CKD), but treatment can help relieve the symptoms and stop it getting worse. Your treatment will depend on the stage of your CKD. The main treatments are: lifestyle changes – to help you stay as healthy as possible.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the top culprits damaging kidneys most, as they harm the delicate filtering blood vessels, leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and failure; other major factors include smoking, obesity, dehydration, poor diet (high sugar/salt/red meat), certain medications (NSAIDs), lack of sleep, and genetic conditions. These factors create a cycle where damaged kidneys worsen blood pressure, further damaging them.
Symptoms of kidney disease
You can check kidney function at home using at-home test kits for urine (detecting protein/albumin) or finger-prick blood tests (checking creatinine/eGFR), often with smartphone apps for analysis, or by monitoring symptoms like increased nighttime urination (nocturia), swelling, or changes in urine (blood, foam) and discussing results with a doctor, as home tests screen but don't replace professional diagnosis.
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Fluid retention, swelling (edema) of extremities and shortness of breath: Urination changes (foamy; dark orange, brown, tea-colored or red if it contains blood; and urinating more or less than normal) Kidney pain felt in their back. Sleep problems due to muscle cramps or restless legs.
Itching often happens on both sides of the body at the same time (for example, both arms or both legs). Itching is most common and severe in people with kidney failure,but those in the earlier stages of CKD may also notice milder itching.
People with kidney disease may notice that their nails are yellow or discolored. If the kidneys are not functioning properly, they can't effectively filter out waste products, including nitrogen waste, which can lead to changes in the color and texture of the nails, making them appear pale or yellowish.
Sleeping on Your Back: While sleeping on your back is not the best position for everyone, it is highly recommended for kidney patients. This position allows the body to maintain a natural alignment, placing less pressure on the kidneys.
Common eye problems for people with kidney disease or who are on dialysis. Dry, red, and sore eyes that feel gritty. These symptoms may occur because of impaired blinking and tear formation, leading to dry eyes. Extra calcium and phosphate can also settle in the eyes and cause irritation.
What can I do to keep my kidneys healthy?
When you move your eyes, the liver works to increase blood flow to the retina and other vital structures. If the liver is damaged, or not functioning properly, it can affect blood circulation, potentially leading to vision problems.
Sleep disorders, are common in people with chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease. In addition to insomnia, sleep-disordered breathing, excessive sleepiness, and restless leg syndrome many have a high incidence of sleep apnea and periodic limb movements in sleep.
To strengthen your kidneys, focus on a healthy lifestyle: stay hydrated with water, eat a balanced diet low in salt and processed foods, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol, while also managing blood pressure and blood sugar to prevent damage.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), diuretics, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have all been linked to kidney problems. Certain medications given in hospital settings, such as iodinated radiocontrast, vancomycin, and aminoglycoside antibiotics, can also hurt the kidneys.