Eye Care: Stretch Your Vision with Diabetes

For patients with diabetes, blindness is 20 times more common than those who are not diabetics. True, that diabetics need serious eye care for they have an increased risk of developing complications in the eyes, however, this should not be a subject of discouragement.

Eye care for patients with diabetes is highly-important. Diabetics should consider doing eye care tips to reduce the risk of eye complications. As always, keep blood glucose levels at healthy range, have a healthy diet and lifestyle, avoid smoking, exercise and most of all, visit the eye doctor regularly.

See your eye doctor immediately if you already feel blurring of your vision, experience flashes of light and black spots. Better is see your eye doctor even if these have not occurred to you yet.

Diabetes retinopathy

Diabetes, which is characterized by so much sugar in the blood can damage the body’s nerves and blood vessels, including your eyes. It can cause diabetic retinopathy, or damage of the eye blood vessels. Retinopathy can be treated with laser when detected earlier though, one good reason why regular eye care should be taken by diabetes patients.

Diabetic retinopathy is when uncontrolled diabetes damages the retina’s small blood vessels. The retina is that part of the eye that is light-sensitive and reports to the brain on what you see. When the retina’s blood vessels are damaged, they can swell due to the leaking of fluids, resulting to a blurred vision. If retinopathy worsens, new blood vessels can start forming over the retina. As these fragile vessels break and bleed, vision is lost and blindness occurs.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye problem when pressure causes damage to the optic nerve, the eye’s main nerve. This causes lose of sight from the sides of the eyes. With regular and proper eye care as for those with diabetes, glaucoma can be detected earlier. Glaucoma treatment can be eye drops recommended by your eye professional or laser surgery.

What can be done

Do not lose your vision. Eye complications from diabetes can be avoided and prevented. See your doctor at least once a year … even if your vision is fine. The eye doctor will try to detect eye problems such as glaucoma, cataracts and retinopathy. Early detection and treatment can definitely help prevent serious complications.

If you plan to get pregnant, consult your doctor and ask if you need an eye examination. If you are already pregnant,

it is good to see an eye care professional especially during the first 3 months of pregnancy and especially if you have diabetes.