Visiting an eye doctor is one of the most important things men and women with diabetes need to do. This condition can affect vision, and early detection of it can be profoundly important in maintaining your ability to see. Look for a specialist that works with conditions like this to ensure you have the best access to the care you need. You should also follow your doctor's directions on how to manage your condition, since this may reduce some of the impact on the eyes themselves.

Why Are the Eyes at Risk?

Those suffering from diabetes have difficulty with high levels of glucose, a form of sugar, in their blood. The blood vessels throughout the body are damaged, and this includes those in the eyes. More specifically, this type of damage often occurs in the retina's blood vessels. The retina works like film in a camera by detecting the light that comes into the eyes and turning it into the images you see in your brain. When there is damage to this area of the eyes, the retina is unable to work properly. That can lead to total sight loss in some people.

As your diabetic condition worsens, often due to having the condition long-term or by not managing it through proper methods, the blood vessels in the retina develop weak spots. These are pouch-like developments along the vessels called micro aneurysms. They can rupture, and when this occurs, blood will spill into the area of the retina. Sometimes this leads to significant damage of the retina and the eyes in general.

In some situations, the best treatment comes from your family physician in the proper treatment and management of diabetes. In other cases, you should work with your eye doctor to ensure your eyes will remain healthy as long as it is possible to do so. These physicians do have options to remove some of the problems, and in some cases, they will be able to detect the problem and treat it using lasers. This can help to close off any bleeding and enable you to retain your vision longer. Lasers can also be used to stabilize the retina and cause these abnormal blood vessels to disappear.

The one thing you should not do when it comes to dealing with the health of your eyes when you have diabetes is to avoid visiting the eye doctor. You may be told to visit two times per year to maintain a constant watch over these risk factors. By having regular care, you can reduce some, if not all, of the instances of blindness that can occur. However, managing your diabetic condition is also very important.


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