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MILLIONS of people in the UK have diabetes and the most common symptoms are thirst, fatigue, using the toilet more often and weight loss.
But an expert has now claimed that you can spot signs of the disease in the eyes as well.
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High blood sugar is a common problem in people with diabetes because the amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by the insulin produced by the pancreas.
If you have diabetes, you do not have enough insulin to move the glucose, and the insulin produced does not work properly.
Dr Shane Kannarr, Leading Medical Examiner for Eye Experts All about vision says high blood sugar can affect someone’s eyes.
He explained, “High blood sugar can change the blood vessels in our retina or cause swelling in the tissues in our eyes that help us see, causing blurry vision.
“High blood sugar can also change the shape of our lens and, if left untreated, can lead to problems such as cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy.”
Dr Kannarr explained that there are four main symptoms that can appear in the eyes if you have diabetes.
He said that blurry or distorted vision, dark spots in your vision (floats), flashes of light, and “holes” in your vision are all signs.
Dr Kannarr said the destruction of the eyes from diabetes stems from the body’s not making or using insulin effectively.
“Insulin, and the pancreas that expels it, processes and transports blood sugar from your food to cells in your body. When functioning properly, blood sugar serves as your primary source of energy.
“But, if you have high blood sugar, the glucose stays in your bloodstream rather than reaching your T cells.
“This process can lead to vision loss and ultimately blindness.”
He added that diabetes is a disease that affects small blood vessels and excess blood sugar damages the body’s smallest blood vessels and impairs blood flow.
This, he said, starves the tissue capillaries and leads to leaking blood vessels, swelling and oxygen starvation.
“Fluid leaks can also change the shape and size of the lens, causing cataracts.
How can a person lower their blood sugar?
High blood sugar is one of the main problems with diabetes.
Dr Kannarr said there are several ways to lower your blood sugar levels to prevent your eyesight from deteriorating.
He explained that getting enough sleep has many health benefits, including helping to maintain your blood sugar levels.
“Sleep deprivation decreases the release of growth hormones and increases cortisol levels.
“Both play an important role in blood sugar management.
“Make sure you get a good quality night’s sleep every night and aim for at least seven or eight hours a night.”
Another tip, said Dr. Kannarr, is to drink plenty of water to help keep your blood sugar low.
He explained, “Staying hydrated will help your kidneys flush out excess sugar in your urine and help lower your risk for diabetes.”
Surprisingly, stress can affect your blood sugar, Dr. Kannarr said.
“Managing your stress through exercises or relaxation methods like yoga as well as mindfulness can help you regulate your blood sugar,” he added.
“These leaks can also damage the retina, the fundus of the eye, where visual images are formed.
“Diabetes can cause bleeding and excess fluid in the retina, which can have a serious effect on our vision,” he added.
The sooner you are diagnosed with diabetic eye disease, the better your visual outcome will be, said Dr. Kannarr.
He added that the goal is to find changes before the damage is irreversible.
“Blurry vision is the first and foremost warning sign and can be treated. Unfortunately, most diabetic eye diseases don’t show any symptoms until they reach a significant level.
“This is why comprehensive annual eye exams are so important. Once detected, it can take up to three months for your vision to return completely to normal, if this is the case.
“Without treatment, it can lead to vision loss. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults between the ages of 20 and 74,” he said.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS
Dr Kannarr said there are other warning signs of diabetes that people need to be aware of.
“You may notice headaches, eye pain, tearing, blurred vision, halos around lights, and loss of vision.
“If you suffer from one or more of these warning signs, it is best to see your eye care professional to quickly spot any problems and start treatment. “
He said most of the conditions show no symptoms in the early stages.
“If the treatment takes place during the early stages, the visual results are the most positive and the treatment can be distressing for the patient.
“The majority of diabetic patients have no visual symptoms. They may have blurry or wavy vision or blemishes of missing vision without really realizing that these are serious,” he added.
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