Eye care essential for diabetics

Whilst World Diabetes Day was largely concerned with foot care this year, other diabetes-related complications may be lessened in impact by increased awareness.
One major problem area for diabetics is the possibility of vision problems. General recommendations suggest that diabetics should have a dilated eye exam every year.
Diabetic eye diseases are extremely commonplace amongst the diabetic population. The three most prevalent are diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. Diabetic retinopathy, the most common, afflicts over 5 million Americans.
Eye diseases occur in diabetics when high blood sugar levels weaken blood vessels in the retina. This can result in blood leaking and causing the retina to swell. Other complications may arise when weak blood vessels are prompted to grow on the retina, leading to the danger of further blood leaking into the eye. Vision blur and subsequent impairment can be the results.
The way to minimise the likelihood of vision related complications is to increase awareness and encourage early diagnosis. Crucially though, prevention will come from keeping blood sugar under control by way of diet and exercise.
Vision impairment is not restricted to the elderly, or even ro those who have had diabetes for some years. It can occur in both young people, those recently diagnosed, and may sometimes even be the indicator that a person is suffering from diabetes. It is suggested that if you are diabetic and you have not yet had an eye test, you do so as soon as possible.