Tips to Keep Your Eyes Protected During Diabetes

Diabetes has been affecting almost every second individual, irrespective of age or gender. It brings along a number of other health complications too, and it is common to experience problems in your eyesight if you are a diabetic.

Therefore, it is important to take a few preventive measures to prevent diabetes-related eye problems and the associated complications.

Follow these simple measures:

1. Manage your diabetes well: Amongst different eye care or preventive measures, foremost is to make sure that your blood glucose level is within control. A glucometer can help to monitor the blood glucose levels at home. Eliminating the underlying factor can work wonders to avoid the various eye problems resulting from diabetes.

2. Don’t miss those regular eye check-ups: Consult your family physician or a specialist at the earliest for discomforts and symptoms such as a headache, watery eyes, blurred, distorted or double vision. Regular eye-checks and screening tests are equally important to safeguard the eyes from the harmful consequences of diabetes.

3. Watchout for other medical disorders: Conditions such as Hypercholesterolemia (elevated levels of blood cholesterol), high blood pressure, along with diabetes, are the worst enemies that can result in a myriad of eye disorders. Make sure the blood pressure is within control and so is the level of bad cholesterol or LDL (Low-density lipoprotein).

4. Get yourself in motion: Exercises and physical activities (morning or evening walks, jogging) can play a pivotal role in keeping diabetes under control, thereby shielding the eyes from problems such as cataract, glaucoma. Keeping the body weight within the healthy and recommended range can also work towards managing the blood glucose level.

5. Healthy dietary modifications: Diabetic patients should be careful with their choice of foods. Dark chocolates, lean meat, whole grains, fish, cinnamon, turmeric, fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, blueberries, spinach, walnuts, sweet potatoes, asparagus, apricots, apples, are some of the healthy eating options for a diabetic patient.

6. Quit smoking: Smoking can make your condition adverse, so quit if you are a smoker. And those who do not smoke, should avoid passive smoking and try to stay in smoke-free surroundings.  

7. Wear sunglasses outdoors: Make it a point to wear good quality sunglasses whenever you are heading out. They protect your eyes from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV rays can increase the risk for cataracts. Diabetic patients are already 60 percent more likely to develop this eye condition