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The nearly 21 million Americans with diabetes should know the disease will affect the entire body, including the eyes. Diabetic eye disease refers to group of eye problems, usually resulting from another common problem diabetics have, high blood pressure. These eye complications include diabetic retinopathy (damage to the blood vessels in the retina), cataracts (clouding of the eye's lens), and glaucoma (increased fluid pressure inside the eye causing optic nerve damage). All these can lead to blindness if they become severe.
With such severe consequences, you may be wondering if you are experiencing any symptoms of these problems. The only symptom is to watch for any changes in your vision, including seeing floaters, flashes of light, pain or pressure in the eyes, blurry or double vision, or vision loss. If this occurs please contact your physician or eye doctor immediately. The truth is however, you may not be able to tell if your eyes are having a problem. The best way to make sure diabetic eye disease does not complicate your life, is to make sure you see an ophthalmologist every year. All diabetics should have an annual dilated eye exam.
Now, what are the things you can do at home that will ensure better eyesight
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longer? Number one is of course to control your blood sugar. Make sure you are monitoring it closely, taking all of your medications as prescribed, and continue to follow a good diet and exercise routine. Number two is to control your blood pressure below 130/80 or lower if possible. Again, following a good diet and exercise routine will help. There are also medications you can talk to your doctor about to help decrease your blood pressure and that have other benefits for diabetics. Controlling your blood sugar, your weight, and blood pressure are the three factors that contribute the most to preventing an early onset of diabetic eye disease.
If you have any further questions about diabetic eye disease or any other concern involving diabetes, please consult your doctor or pharmacist. A couple of websites with additional information include the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org or www.webmd.com and search diabetes or diabetic eye disease.
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