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Keeping Your Eyes Healthy When You Have Diabetes

Posted by: Cape Fear Retina in Blog

Diabetes can wreak havoc on your eyes as well as affect your overall health. If you’re not careful, you might begin to notice your vision deteriorating because of the condition. However, just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean that you have to suffer from eye and vision problems.

Diabetes can wreak havoc on your eyes as well as affect your overall health. If you’re not careful, you might begin to notice your vision deteriorating because of the condition. However, just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean that you have to suffer from eye and vision problems.

You can do things to keep your vision intact despite the condition. Here are five ways to keep your eyes healthy while you are suffering from diabetes.

1: Control Your Glucose Levels

Though it can be hard sometimes, the better you control your glucose levels, the less likely you will suffer complications to your eyes. High glucose levels weaken the small blood vessels in the eye that help keep the retina healthy.

Eventually, this weakness can lead to a buildup of fluid that causes further problems with blood flow. The eyes respond to this problem by building more, but still weakened, blood vessels. This complicates problems even further and can lead to diabetic or proliferative retinopathy and eventual blindness.

2: Lower Your Blood Pressure

Because the small vessels in the eyes are sensitive to changes in their pressure and flow, you must keep your blood pressure under control. Diabetics tend to be prone to high blood pressure and heart disease, so check your blood pressure regularly.

Be sure to follow all your doctor’s recommendations, and take medication if necessary. Lowering your blood pressure not only helps the blood vessels in your eyes but also in other organs, such as your kidneys.

3: See Your Optometrist or Ophthalmologist Yearly

While anyone who needs vision correction should see their eye doctor regularly, those with diabetes should go every year even if they have good vision.

While you’re there, have your eyes fully dilated and your retinas checked per your doctor’s recommendations. This test can reveal even small issues with the blood vessels in your eye and the health of your retina. Catching things early is critical when it comes to keeping diabetic-related eye disease from progressing.

4: Eat a Healthy Diet and Exercise

While you probably already know that you should eat well and exercise, when you have diabetes, these habits are especially important for your eyes. Eating healthy food ensures that you will get the right kind of nutrition for your eyes. It also helps with keeping your blood sugar and blood pressure under control. Your doctor may also suggest vitamins and supplements that have shown promising results for keeping your eyes healthy.

As for exercise, it not only improves blood flow but also helps with blood sugar and weight control, which are both important for overall health. Be sure to see your general practitioner before starting an exercise program if you are not already used to regular activity.

5: Stop Smoking

Smoking, and similar habits, are hard on your blood vessels and your overall eye health. Not only does smoke irritate the eyes and make them dry, but nicotine constricts and weakens blood vessels. It can also cause inflammation in the uvea, or middle part of the eye, as well as increase your chance of getting cataracts early.

You are also at higher risk for retinal detachment and glaucoma if you continue to smoke even if you don’t have diabetes. Smoking can further cause complications with your diabetes by raising your blood sugar levels.

Just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean that you will automatically suffer serious eye problems. The key is to stay on top of health by living healthy and seeing your optometrist or ophthalmologist regularly or at the first hint of any trouble.

The professionals at Cape Fear Retina are experienced at dealing with diabetic-related eye health issues including diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and eye artery problems.


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