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Eye Diseases and the Risk for Diabetics

December 05, 2014

Diabetes has been associated with eye diseases for a long time. People diagnosed with diabetes are advised to visit their doctors for a checkup to avoid any eye problems. Excessive or high content of glucose in the blood is what causes eye problems. Diabetes has been known to cause partial loss of eyesight for people who are between the ages of 25 to 75 years.

You shouldn't rush to see a doctor if you're diagnosed with diabetes or when you notice symptoms associated with the eyes. Give it time as this may be the body's reaction due to the presence of high sugar levels in the blood.

You're bound to experience bulging eyes due to high blood sugar brought about by diabetes. This interferes with your eyesight causing blurred vision. To bring your eyesight to normal, you have to work on reducing the level of blood sugar by making sure that it falls between 70- 130 mm/dl prior to any meal and below 180mg/dl a couple of hours after meals. You have to be patient at this since it may take up to 12 weeks to normalize the blood sugar after which your normal eyesight resumes.

Let's look deeper into eye diseases and their link to diabetes:

Cataracts and diabetes... Cataracts can be defined as materials that accumulate in the lens of the eye thereby leading to reduced eyesight. The lens is a very important part of the eye as it is aids in focusing on objects and sends signals to the eyes enabling us to see. While cataracts can occur in just about anyone, people suffering from diabetes are more prone.

Due to the formation of cataracts in the eyes, good vision is under duress and so is your ability to focus. Many people tend to confuse cataracts with eye floaters. While there is no link between the two eye diseases they do share some symptoms including glared and blurred vision. However, unlike cataracts, floaters are generally regarded as benign unless they are at an advanced stage.

Glaucoma and diabetes... Fluids in the eyes should drain out of the eyes in a natural way and if they don't, this may lead to pressure in the eyes. This is a condition known in the medical circles as glaucoma. The heightened pressure inside the eye may cause harm to the blood vessels and nerves which then leads to reduced vision.

There are two types of glaucoma, open angle and closed angle. To effectively reduce open angle glaucoma, patients are placed on medication which will either drain the aqueous humor or reduce the fluid's production.

Closed angle glaucoma is one rarest type of eye diseases and it has no noticeable symptoms until in its later stages when it can lead to a vision problems. Symptoms related to glaucoma are dryness, redness and itchy eyes. Other symptoms include migraines, blurred eyesight and watery eyes.

Patients diagnosed with diabetes are prone to another rare type of glaucoma known as neovascular glaucoma. This is characterized by growth of new blood vessels in the iris, blocking the usual flow of fluid in the eyes which then leads to an increase of pressure in the eyes. It's not easy to treat this eye condition and the most viable option available is laser surgery which attempts to lower the number of new blood vessels.

Diabetic retinopathy... Apart from the thyroid eye disease, diabetic retinopathy is arguably one of the most complex eye diseases that pose great challenges to ophthalmologists. This is an eye problem that relates to blood vessels and has been named as micro vascular complication.

Diabetic retinopathy is the foremost cause of total blindness. Your chances of getting this eye problem are greater if you've been diabetic for a long time. Seek medical attention immediately if you suspect retinopathy because delayed treatment may ultimately lead to blindness.

There are three types of diabetic retinopathy:

Background retinopathy... While the blood vessels may be damaged, vision is not affected with this type of retinopathy. It is imperative that you control your blood sugar levels when you're diagnosed with this type of retinopathy to avoid more complicated eye diseases.

Maculopathy... This type leads to degeneration of the macula which results in a decrease in vision.

Proliferative retinopathy... This is associated with development of blood vessels in the back of the eyes, which is brought about by insufficient levels of oxygen due to the presence of a vascular disease. Vessels in the eye shrink and start to adopt a new shape.

You should have an eye checkup if you're diabetic to avoid any of the above-mentioned eye problems. Regular eye screening preferably annually will not only detect any underlying risks, but will also help you develop ways to improve your vision.

After all is said and done, you don't have to wait until you're diagnosed with diabetes for you to visit an eye care specialist. You should look for natural ways to make your eyesight better and in so doing you will help keep eye problems at bay. Don't wait until your vision is impaired, start exercising your eyes today and you may not have to visit an eye care specialist one day because your eyesight is fine.If you need more information on natural ways to increase your eyesight visit http://www.howtomakeyoureyesightbetter.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Lewis

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8377836
 


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