Protecting Your Eyes

The Glaucoma Research Foundation reports that people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop an eye condition known as glaucoma, which is a condition that can lead to blindness. If you are diabetic, you might be able to prevent this condition by seeing an optometrist.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye condition that causes nerve damage in the eyes. Nerves are essential for the eyes because they are used for communication with the brain. As the nerves become damaged, it becomes harder for a person to see. At some point, the damage could be so severe that a person can no longer see anything at all.

While there may not be a way to prevent this completely, there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of developing glaucoma if you have diabetes.

What can you do to prevent it?

Diabetes is a disease without a cure, and unfortunately it is linked to many types of illnesses and health problems. Preventing all correlated health problems is hard to do; however, there is one thing that is extremely vital, which is to keep your blood glucose level regulated.

For many diabetics, controlling their blood glucose level is done by taking insulin. Insulin breaks down the sugars in the body, which is vital for good health. When you control your blood glucose level, you can avoid the risks caused by elevated sugar levels, but this is often easier said than done. It is important though because:

• High blood sugars damage body parts – This not only includes the eyes, but it also includes your kidneys and heart.
• Sugars close blood vessels – As blood vessels close, circulation is restricted. This is one of the causes of glaucoma, but restricted circulation also causes issues with the feet and hands.
• Pressure in the eyes causes damage – High sugar levels lead to higher pressure in the eyes, and this causes blood vessels to close and nerve damage to occur.

Avoiding these issues can be done by keeping your blood glucose level normal, but you can also keep your eyes healthy by visiting an eye doctor regularly.

During your visits to an eye doctor, he or she will look for signs of damage and will discover any irregularities with your eyes. By finding these early, you may have a better chance of saving your eyesight. To learn more about this, talk to your doctor and make an appointment with an optometrist, or contact a clinic like North Central Eye Associates Inc.