Diabetes is on the rise, affecting an ever increasing number of people. Diabetic patients are more prone to certain eye diseases. These diabetic eye diseases include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma. The good news is that by taking some proactive steps, you can safeguard your vision and mitigate your risk of eye conditions.
Here we bring you some precautionary measures, by following which you can protect your sight for years to come.
Comprehensive Eye Examination
If you are a diabetic, you must get a complete dilated eye checkup from eye doctor at least once every year. Why? The reason is that diabetic eye diseases may not have any signs and symptoms during their early stages.
With detailed eye examination, your eyecare provider can thoroughly examine your retina and optic nerve and look for any signs of damage before the ailment progresses to make any noticeable damage and changes to your vision. This routine monitoring of your eye health through comprehensive eye tests enables your eye specialist to timely detect and treat any eye disorder.
High blood sugar levels affect small blood vessels, thereby causing damage to the entire body in diverse ways. Your eyes have some of the tiniest blood vessels in the retina (the back part of the eye). Bleeding or leakage of fluid in the eye can damage your vision. It may even result in blindness. The solution is early detection and treatment.
Blood Sugar
When your blood sugar is not regulated and crosses the safe levels, it can modify the shape of the eye lens. This may result in temporary blurred vision, which returns to normal once your blood sugar stabilises.
Apart from this, high blood sugar can cause harm to eye blood vessels, which could eventually lead to vision loss and blindness. Maintain your blood sugar to keep it under control and keep related issues away.
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
As high BP and high cholesterol are among the risk factors for diabetes, regulating them can help mitigate your risk of diabetic eye disease and loss of vision. Maintaining your BP and cholesterol will enhance not just your eye health but also overall well-being.
Smoking
Smoking significantly raises your risk for diabetic eye diseases – diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts. For example, for type 1 diabetes, smokers have a 23% higher risk of diabetic retinopathy and a 48% higher risk of proliferative diabetic retinopathy compared to non-smokers. Hence, if you quit smoking, you can reduce your risk of these diseases.
Exercise
Regular physical activity is beneficial for your eyes as well as for diabetes. It helps keep your blood sugar levels under control so that your eyes can be as healthy as possible.
The Bottom Line
Diabetes is a systemic disease that affects your overall health. It can be dangerous for your eyes too. However, you can still maintain good vision, provided you stay alert and follow the above-mentioned practical tips. Adopt a healthy lifestyle, stay active and alert, keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels within permissible range, and most importantly, get annual comprehensive eye examinations.
Looking for the best advice on diabetic eye disease management and treatment? Get in touch with the best eye doctor in Chandigarh at Sohana Eye Hospital, the most trusted eye care institution in North India. Serving humanity since 1995, the super-speciality hospital has always been at the forefront of healthcare.
Be aware and maintain a clear vision for life.
