Diabetes and Eye Problems

When diagnosed with diabetes, people usually experience a wide-ranging mix of emotions and they start to wonder how that condition would affect their lives. Although diabetes is a complex condition and there’s still no cure for it, you can dramatically reduce its potential impact by learning how to manage your medical situation. Since diabetes is closely linked with many conditions that can impair vision, it’s of high importance to do everything you can to prevent possible eye problems.

Regular eye exams are something everyone should have, but if you’re dealing with diabetes, an annual eye exam is of particular importance for you. A thorough eye exam can identify a visual impairment on time, which means that you can treat it more easily and effectively. A proper medical care can prevent further vision loss. In case you are considering pregnancy, make sure you have an eye exam prior and during your pregnancy; your eye doctor will know what’s right for you.

Most commonly, diabetes causes diabetic retinopathy. This eye problem occurs when blood vessels in the retina become damaged. Eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts can be worsen by diabetes. Luckily, diabetes won’t necessarily lead to sight loss, if you treat or slow it down before it develops too far. Contact your doctor if you have diabetes and notice any of the following problems: blurred vision, black spots or “holes” in your vision, flashes of light.

Living a life with diabetes means controlling your blood pressure and blood sugar levels on regular basis. Even if you become blind or partially sighted, you should still take care about your health and measure your blood sugar and pressure. Med-Care Diabetic and Medical Supplies offers talking glucose meters to help blind patients test their blood sugar. The range of support is also improving and new software and diabetes management aids and tools for people with sight difficulties are now available.