Complications
Are You Diabetic? Time to Take Care of Your Eyesight!
Dec 4, 2017You might be wondering what’s the connection between diabetes and vision. Research suggests that diabetics are vulnerable to five kinds of eye diseases, viz. diabetic retinopathy and papillopathy, cataract, glaucoma, and ocular surface diseases. If you’re a diabetic, you need to get regular eye checkups done to ensure these ailments are diagnosed and properly treated.
Diabetes And Vision: What Does Research Say?
- Research shows that cataracts occur at a younger age and two to five times more frequently in patients with diabetes. This risk can reach 15-25 times in diabetics less than 40 years old.
- Another study concluded that individuals with diabetes have a higher risk of developing glaucoma.
- Diabetic retinopathy is apparently the most common eye-related complication of diabetes.
Diabetic Vision Problems: Does Early Detection Help Prevention?
Research shows that early detection and treatment of diabetic eye diseases can prevent blindness in diabetic patients. One study indicates that patients with diabetes are not going blind due to lack of treatment or technology, rather due to the lack of application of treatment. Hence, it is important to know the complications diabetes can cause to the eyes. Here are some ways to detect if you have any vision-related problems due to diabetes:
Get An Annual Diabetic Eye Screening Test
In this diabetes and vision test, an eye technician dilates your pupils with eye drops and then proceeds to take a picture of your retina using the digital scanner. These results are then sent directly to a diabetic eye grader, which will determine if there are any changes to your vision.
Schedule Regular Visits To Your Optometrist
Apart from the annual eye screening test, it is advisable to visit an optometrist regularly for routine eye checkups. If there are any diabetes and vision related issues, they can advise you if you need to undergo an eye screening test sooner.
Tips For Protecting Your Vision If You’re A Diabetic
- Control and monitor your blood sugar levels
- Monitor your blood pressure
- Quit smoking as it contributes to eye damage
- Get a dilated eye exam done once every year or once in 6 months
Check out this article to know more about understanding your diabetes test results and why they are important.
Mahesh is a hormone health counsellor & holistic health expert. He has a Mastery Certification in Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis from the US, is certified in Functional Nutrition from Washington State University and uses a wide array of healing modalities to guide his clients to vibrant health and well-being.
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References:
Diabetes and Vision : Understanding the Link; Johns Hopkins Medicine: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy_aging/healthy_body/diabetes-and-vision-understanding-the-link
Eye Conditions Related to Diabetes; The Royal College of Ophthalmologists. 2016 July: http://www.rnib.org.uk/sites/default/files/APDF-ENG061534_Understanding%20Diabetes.pdf
