Do You Have Diabetes? Make Sure You Take Proper Care Of Your Eyes
If you have diabetes, you need to make sure you take care of your eyes. This is because you are 60 percent more likely to develop cataracts, and 40 percent more likely to develop glaucoma, as well as many other eye problems. Below are three things you can do to reduce your chances of these things happening to you.
Watch What You Eat
Not only is your diet important for managing your diabetes, it is also important to keep your eyes healthy. According to the Age Related Eye Disease Studies, clinical trials conducted by the National Eye Institute have found that antioxidants can prevent or delay the progress of age-related macular degeneration, which is one of the causes of cataracts and vision loss.
Eat a diet that is rich in fish and nuts, along with some fresh fruit, leafy green vegetables, potatoes, black beans, kidney beans, and cooked artichokes.
Manage Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can make complications of diabetes worse, including diabetic eye disease. High blood pressure can also increase your chances of developing macular edema, which can lead to visual loss over a period of months.
See your doctor regularly to keep your blood pressure in check. If found to be high, make sure you take your medications to control it.
Keep Your Blood Sugar Under Control
If you have high blood sugar levels, it can damage the tiny blood vessels in your eyes. Over time, this can result in vision problems and even vision loss. Have your sugar checked several times per year. If your doctor asks you to check your levels at home, make sure you do this regularly. The doctor will tell you what the levels should be. Learn from your doctor what you should do if the levels are too high.
Because you have an increased chance of developing cataracts and other eye problems, make sure you see your eye doctor regularly. Because you have diabetes, they may want you to have your eyes checked more often than once per year. If the eye doctor finds any of these eye conditions early on, you have a much better chance of keeping your current vision. If the eye doctor sees a problem, they will likely refer you to a specialist to start your treatment. If you do not currently wear glasses or have no vision problems, it is still important that you have regular eye checkups. For more info about cataract surgery, contact a professional like Thomas L. Lawrence, M.D., P.A.