Type 2 Diabetes - Protecting Your Eyesight By Beverleigh H Piepers

Diabetes can cause serious complications, including eye problems. These eye problems are caused by high blood sugar, which damages the small blood vessels of the eye. There are a few main types of eye problems that are more common in people who have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes...

1. Diabetic Retinopathy. Many people with Type 2 diabetes eventually develop retinopathy which is damage to the retina of the eye. Retinopathy happens when the small blood vessels that supply the retina are damaged. The blood vessels become blocked and fluid leaks out into the retina. The retina swells, resulting in blurred vision.

Retinopathy may be mild, or it can be severe and even lead to blindness. Fortunately, the better you control your blood sugar, the less likely you are to develop damage to your retina, and if you do develop problems they will be milder.

2. Cataracts are more common in people with diabetes. They happen when fluid gets trapped in the front of the eye and forms a cloudy area. This causes blurred or glared vision. Mild cataracts can be treated by wearing sunglasses and wearing glasses with a glare-control lens. Surgery is usually carried out for more severe cataracts.

3. Glaucoma is also more common in those with diabetes. Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up in the eye and pinches the small blood vessels. The decreased blood supply damages the retina and the nerves of the eye. Glaucoma can be treated by medications or surgery, depending on how severe it is.

Sometimes, these eye problems can start developing without any symptoms. This is why it's important to have regular eye exams. It's usually recommended to have an eye exam and retinal screening once a year. This will look for any damage to the retina that is developing. Eye problems can be treated much better if they are caught early. If retinopathy is diagnosed early on, 90% of cases of blindness can be prevented.

The good news is managing your blood sugar well helps prevent eye problems. You can manage your blood sugar with diet and exercise, oral medications, and/or insulin injections.

There are other steps you can take that also lower your risk of developing eye problems...

• avoiding smoking helps and is in general a good idea for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes. It only hastens your vision loss because of free-radical damage to delicate eye capillaries.
• controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol levels can help keep blood vessels healthy and prevent eye problems.

So, eating a healthy diet and managing your weight are important as they help in several ways, by controlling your...

• blood sugar,
• blood pressure, and
• cholesterol levels.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to www,diabetic.com to learn about some of those secrets.