Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye problems that can affect people with diabetes. Which include Diabetic retinopathy, Diabetic macular edema, Cataracts, and Glaucoma.
Poorly controlled diabetes causes damage to the eyes that can lead to poor vision or even blindness.
Some Symptoms of Diabetic eye disease include:
*blurry or wavy vision
*frequently changing vision leading to frequent change in glasses prescription.
*dark areas or vision loss
*poor color vision
*spots or dark strings (also called floaters)
*flashes of light
*Signs of Diabetic eye disease include
*
-Damaged blood vessels which may leak fluid and cause swelling (Diabetic macula edema).
-Growth of New, weak blood vessels (aneurysm) inside the eyes. These blood vessels can bleed (hemorrhage) into the middle part of the eye, leading to scarring /cotton wool spots or cause dangerously high pressure inside the eye which further leads to Glaucoma.
-cloudy lens I.e opacity of the crystalline lens in the eye (cataract).
Diabetic eye disease can be prevented or kept from getting worse, by taking care of your diabetes through the following steps:
– Manage your blood glucose level, blood pressure level, and cholesterol seeing your physician and taking your medications as prescribed by your physician.
– If you smoke, get help to quit smoking.
– have your eye pressures (IOP ) checked monthly and dilated eye exam once a year by your optometrist.
– have a healthy diet plan which will include lots of leafy green vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, dairy(nonfat or low fat).
-Do Aerobic and stretching exercises.
– Drink lots of water daily.
Foods/Drinks to avoid include
– fried foods, or foods high in saturated fat and trans fat.
– Foods high in salt called sodium.
– Sweets, baked goods, candy, ice cream.
– Sugar-sweetened Beverages.
-Alcohol.
-Processed meats.