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Diabetes And Its Effects On Eyesight |
By:
Julia Hanf |
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Diabetes and its Effects on Eyesight
Julia Hanf
When a person hears the term diabetes, what generally comes to mind? Usually, most people think of diabetes as relating only to blood sugar levels. What they may not realize is that diabetes also affects many of the body's other organs. The eyes are one of the organs that are commonly affected.
When blood vessels at the back of the eyes are affected, the technical term is called diabetic retinopathy. The progression of diabetic retinopathy starts out with normal eyesight, which then becomes blurred, patchy, or distorted. These vision changes cannot be corrected with corrective lenses. Next, one may experience problems with their balance, problems reading, watching television, or recognizing people. Lastly one could become highly sensitive to limelight and experience difficulties with night vision.
It is impossible to tell who will or will not develop diabetic retinopathy when diagnosed with diabetes. Approximately two thirds of the patients that are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes will have some kind of significant retinal disease by the time they have been diagnosed for thirty five years. The other one third of patients will develop a condition called macular oedema, which is a swelling of the central area of vision.
The time period to develop retinal diseases for people suffering diabetes takes minimum period of 30 years who takes insulin or the people who are not able to control their blood sugar level. In US, there are more than 8000 cases of blindness mostly resulting in the age group of 25-74 years which is caused by Diabetic retinopathy which indicates that diabetes itself is responsible for more than 12% for blindness. The second place having higher number of diabetic patients is UAE having 20% of their population suffering from it.
Blindness related to diabetes or diabetic retinopathy is one of the complications for the metabolic disease. Many of the people around the globe are not even aware that they suffer with diabetes. Some screening programs should be conducted for the welfare of the patients of diabetes. An overall screening program should pay attention towards testing the sugar level in blood as well as various other requirements of the patients like themselves moving into the communities rather than looking forward to them coming to the community for screening.
More and more people should be reached with the help of mobile clinics by the public health screenings. NGOs should also lend a helping hand in arranging these programs thereby screening people at various places for a long time. There should be a system under which patients suffering with diabetes should be followed up at each primary healthcare centre with the help of ministry of health.
The best way to prevent these complications is good control on diabetes. Your vision loss can be easily cured by laser treatment if it's diagnosed earlier or before its impact on your eyes. In case of already damaged vision, treatment can save you from getting it worst. Getting your eye checked by a doctor at regular intervals say about every year if your taking insulin and 2 years if you are not. Don't hesitate in contacting a doctor if at anytime you feel a symptom like blurred visionAfter all its your health which matters the most.
Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit http://www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article72805.html |
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