When providing care for someone with diabetes, there can be a lot of balls to keep in the air. From managing and monitoring blood sugars to providing a healthy diet to encouraging regular exercise, it can seem like a lot. The reason why diabetes care is so important is because diabetes and the high blood sugar that comes with it can cause damage to many parts of the body and lead to serious complications. One area of the body that might be negatively impacted by your loved one’s diabetes is her eyes.
Three Common Eye Diseases Associated with Diabetes
Cataracts
Cataracts are more likely to occur at a younger age than normal if your loved one has diabetes. Cataracts are cloudy areas on the lens that can interfere with your loved one’s ability to see clearly.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma occurs when there is added pressure on the eye and it’s twice as likely to occur with those who have diabetes. The added pressure damages the optic nerve and retina, causing the person to see halos or colored rings around light, and may eventually lead to vision loss.
Diabetic Retinopathy
The most common eye disease due to diabetes is diabetic retinopathy. High blood sugars can damage the vessels on the lining of the back of the eye and lead to long-term vision loss.
Five Steps to Preventing Diabetes-Related Eye Problems
- Have Annual Eye Exams with Dilation
This type of procedure will allow the eye doctor to widen the pupil and look for early signs of any damage that may be occurring. When planning this annual visit, make sure your loved one has transportation set up as he may not be able to drive after the appointment. - Be Aware of Warning Signs
Knowing the warning signs of eye trouble is a good way for your loved one to stay on top of his eye health. By knowing early warning signs, he can address them immediately and seek the proper treatment. Some early warning signs include: - Trouble seeing straight lines
- Cloudy or blurry vision
- Double vision
- Floating spots in his vision
- Seeing rings around lights
- Pain or pressure in the eyes
- Manage Blood Sugar Levels
Managing his blood sugar levels is paramount for all areas of his health. Keeping blood sugar levels where they should be will reduce the damage that elevated blood sugar will do to the eye vessels. - Manage Blood Pressure
If your loved one has high blood pressure in addition to diabetes, keeping it managed is especially important as the combined effects of high blood pressure plus elevated blood sugars are extremely damaging to the eyes. - Stop Smoking
Smoking damages blood vessels so it exasperates any health issues your loved one already has.
Providing Extra Diabetes Care
Sometimes everyone can use a little help. With diabetes, there are a lot of health management tasks that need to take place to help your loved one keep his sight healthy as well as other aspects of his life. You might find having a home care provider as a part of your diabetes care team is a great asset to manage the little details. A home care provider who understands diabetes care can assist with providing proper meals, managing medication, and ensuring your loved one makes the appointments he needs to manage his diabetes care.
