Diabetes is a condition that has a wide-ranging impact on your body, including your eyes. It raises your chances of developing eye diseases including glaucoma and cataracts. The development of diabetic retinopathy is the key issue for diabetic eye health.
Diabetic retinopathy is a disorder that occurs when the blood vessels in the retina are damaged. The retina is the light-sensitive component of your eye’s back. You may begin to lose your vision as the damage increases. Your vision may grow fuzzy, less vivid, and eventually fade.
People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes may be affected by this disorder. The longer you have diabetes, the more probable it is that you may develop problems such as diabetic retinopathy. This is why it is critical to make lifestyle adjustments and learn how to control diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy symptoms
Diabetic retinopathy may not generate symptoms in its early stages. The first symptoms may be insignificant or moderate. The problem might deteriorate over time, leading to partial and later full blindness.
If you have any of the following symptoms, you should consult your doctor:
- floaters in your range of vision, or dots and dark threads
- patches of darkness or emptiness in your frame of view
- vision blur
- difficulties concentrating
- Variations in eyesight that appear to vary
- color vision impairment
- loss of eyesight, either partial or entire
Diabetic retinopathy often affects both eyes simultaneously and in equal amount. If you just have problems with one eye, this does not rule out diabetic retinopathy. It might, however, suggest another eye problem. Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss a suitable treatment strategy.
Diabetic retinopathy causes
Excess sugar in your blood can cause a variety of health problems. Too much glucose in your eyes can harm the small blood vessels that feed blood to your retina. This injury may eventually obstruct your blood flow.
Your eyesight is affected by chronic damage to retinal blood vessels. When your blood supply is reduced, your eye strives to compensate by forming new blood vessels. Neovascularization is the process of forming new blood vessels. These vessels aren’t as powerful or effective as the originals. They may leak or burst, causing your eyesight to suffer.
Diabetic retinopathy risk factors
Anyone with diabetes should be concerned about diabetic retinopathy. Additional risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include:
Pregnancy
Women who are pregnant and have diabetes are more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy than women who are not pregnant and have diabetes. During your pregnancy, your doctor may advise you to get extra eye exams.
Inadequate disease management
If your diabetes is uncontrolled, your chances of getting problems increase. Strict glycemic control is the most effective preventive measure for diabetic retinopathy. It is critical to discover diabetes early and work closely with your doctor to control it.
Time afflicted by diabetes
The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to develop problems, such as diabetic retinopathy.
Other medical issues
Other medical illnesses or diseases might also raise your chances of acquiring retinopathy. High blood pressure, heart disease, and high cholesterol are examples.
Smoking
Diabetes patients who smoke are more prone to develop retinopathy.
Ethnicity
African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely than the overall population to acquire diabetic retinopathy.
Prevention
Controlling your blood sugar levels and leading a healthy lifestyle are the greatest ways to prevent the effects of diabetes on your eyes and the rest of your body. You can help avoid vision loss and other diabetic consequences by doing the following:
- Attend frequent doctor’s appointments to get your health, particularly your eyes, checked.
- Don’t skip appointments just because you’re not having any problems. Some of the most insignificant symptoms may be a warning indication of a larger problem.
- If anything changes with your health or vision, contact your doctor straight away.
- If you smoke, you should stop.
- If you are overweight, you should lose weight. Weight reduction is essential for blood sugar regulation.
- Maintaining a healthy weight will aid in improving insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar levels.
- To obtain and maintain an appropriate body weight, eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet.
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