If you’re one of the more than 38 million Americans with diabetes, you know how important it is to keep your blood sugar within the healthy range. Doing so reduces your risk of nerve damage and heart disease, but it also protects your eyes. That’s because high blood sugar can damage the delicate eye tissues over time, increasing your risk of poor eyesight and even vision loss.
At Eye Surgeons Associates, which serves patients in Canton, Livonia, and Monroe, Michigan, our team of caring ophthalmologists & retina specialists has years of experience treating diabetic eye disease. Read on to discover five simple steps that can protect your vision and keep your eyes healthy.
Regardless of the type of diabetes you have, high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina, which is the layer of sensitive tissue at the back of your eyes that converts light into signals that your brain interprets as images. Diabetes also increases the risk of cataracts, which cause clouding of the eye’s lenses and lead to blurry vision.
The best way to keep your blood sugar in check is to monitor your levels throughout the day. It’s also important to eat a diabetes-friendly diet that prevents blood sugar from spiking and to exercise regularly to make your body more sensitive to insulin.
Many diabetic eye diseases develop slowly over months or years, so they don’t always present obvious symptoms. Scheduling a dilated eye exam allows our providers to see the back of your eyes, including your retinas. It’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to detect diabetes-related changes early on.
Getting an annual eye exam may seem like a hassle, but preventive care is essential to protecting your vision. It’s better to be safe than to wait for irreparable damage that can’t be reversed.
The link between your eyes and heart may not be obvious, but these two body parts are closely connected. For example, both rely on a complex network of blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients, and changes to either system can spell problems for the other.
Because of this connection, taking good care of your heart is vital. If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol or high blood pressure, focus on reducing those numbers. Eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can benefit both your diabetes and overall heart health.
You know smoking is bad for your lungs, but research shows it also increases your risk of diabetic eye disease. On the one hand, smoking causes your blood vessels to narrow, cutting off the vital supply of oxygen and nutrients. On the other hand, it speeds up diabetes-related eye damage.
Don’t feel like you have to quit cold turkey or navigate withdrawals alone. Resources like smokefree.gov and 1-800-QUIT-NOW can help you achieve this goal. While quitting entirely offers the biggest benefits, even cutting back a small amount may help improve circulation and reduce eye damage over time.
Diabetes affects every part of your body, so managing symptoms requires a team effort. It’s important to schedule regular checkups with your primary care physician, endocrinologist, and eye doctor.
Routine visits to these and other specialists can help you detect potential problems early and prevent your blood sugar from staying too high for extended periods.
Diabetic eye disease is a common complication of diabetes, but it isn’t inevitable. With daily care and routine checkups, you can protect your health and preserve your vision.
To learn how to reduce your risk of diabetic eye disease, request a consultation at the nearest Eye Surgeons Associates office. Call or use our online scheduler.
