Good control of blood sugar and blood pressure, wearing sunglasses when out in the sun, and giving your eyes adequate rest contribute to preventing eye complications in people with diabetes.
Doctor Doan Minh Yen Ha, Endocrinology – Diabetes Unit, Tam Anh General Clinic, District 7, said that people with long-term diabetes who do not control their blood sugar well can increase the risk of complications. on large and small blood vessels, including blood vessels in the eyes. The disease causes eye complications such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, diplopia (double vision), blurred vision, retinal damage and macular degeneration.
Doctor Yen Ha shows some ways below to protect the eyes of people with diabetes.
Control blood sugar: Blood sugar is the main factor causing diabetic retinopathy. Controlling blood sugar helps prevent diabetic retinopathy and other complications on the kidneys, heart, feet… Patients take medicine as prescribed by the doctor, eat healthy by reducing starch and sugar. , limit red meat, processed and fatty foods. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, have monthly check-ups, and get HbA1c tested every three months.
Early screening: Vision loss due to diabetes complications is often difficult to treat and restore to normal. Screening for complications early helps treat and prevent the condition from getting worse. Doctor Yen Ha recommends that people with type 2 diabetes should be screened for eye complications as soon as the disease is detected. People with type 1 diabetes are screened for eye complications after 5 years of disease.
Doctor Tung, Ophthalmology specialist, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City examines patients’ eyes. Illustration photo: Hospital provided
Wear sunglasses and eye protection: Sunlight easily damages the skin, accelerating the aging process in the skin and exposed areas. Patients with long-term exposure to sunlight are at risk of eye diseases such as basal cell cancer, carcinoma, cataracts… Wear sunglasses when going out in the sun and also in cloudy day. People with diabetes should wear goggles to protect their eyes when playing some sports, working, cleaning the house, and avoiding accidents on their eyes.
Control blood pressure and cholesterol: High blood pressure and cholesterol can increase the risk of eye disease and vision loss. Patients should check blood pressure and cholesterol during diabetes check-ups. Controlling the above two indicators not only helps protect the eyes but is also good for overall health.
Quit smoking: The risk of developing diabetic retinopathy and other diabetic eye diseases increases when a person smokes. Do not smoke and limit passive smoking to help prevent disease.
Give your eyes a rest: You should rest your eyes for about 20 minutes after working with computers, phone screens, reading books… The simplest way to help your eyes rest is to admire the scenery, look at objects at a distance of 6 meters for 20 seconds. .