In the past I’ve written about the all-pervading effects of diabetes and also its link to Alzheimer’s disease. It is a scary disease! The good news is that it is a lifestyle disease. One that is avoidable through good nutrition,
In the past I’ve written about the all-pervading effects of diabetes and also its link to Alzheimer’s disease. It is a scary disease! The good news is that it is a lifestyle disease. One that is avoidable through good nutrition, exercise and thoughtful living — not a slow agonizing death sentence just because it runs in your family. You can take control and avid the nasty consequences of type II diabetes by living in a conscious and healthful way.
Diabetic eye conditions include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma. All forms of diabetic eye disease have the potential to cause severe vision loss and blindness. Diabetic retinopathy involves changes to the blood vessels in the retina (the light sensitive tissue) that lines the back of the eyeball. These changes cause the blood vessels in the back of the eyeball to leak fluid or bleed into the eyeball causing distorted vision.
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes and is a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. Diabetic macular edema is a consequence of diabetic retinopathy. It causes swelling of the area of the retina called the macula. Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of the eye.
Adults with type II diabetes are two to five times more likely to develop cataracts than those of us who don’t have diabetes. Cataracts also tend to develop earlier in those who have diabetes than those who don’t. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve — the large bundle of nerves that lead from the eye to the brain. Some types of glaucoma are associated with elevated pressure within the eye. Adults with diabetes run twice the risk of developing glaucoma than those who do not have the disease.
Why does diabetes harm the eyes so much? In the case of diabetic retinopathy, the chronically high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina causing them to hemorrhage and bleed or leak fluid. In the more advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy, new abnormal blood vessels increase on the surface of the retina which leads to scarring and functional cell loss in the retina.
At the advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy, the new blood vessels are very fragile which makes them even more likely to leak and bleed. The accompanying scar tissue can contract and cause retinal detachment wherein the retina peals away from the underlying eye tissue which leads to permanent blindness.
In diabetic macular edema, the build up of fluid in the region of the retina called the macula is a result of diabetic retinopathy. Although macular edema is more likely to occur as the retinopathy worsens, it can happen at any stage of the disease. The macula is the area of the retina that is responsible for sharp, straight ahead vision that is used for reading, recognizing faces and driving. Approximately half of those people who have diabetic retinopathy will develop diabetic macular edema.
People with all types of diabetes are at risk for diabetic retinopathy and the risk increases the longer a person has diabetes. Approximately 45 percent of American who have diabetes have some stage of diabetic retinopathy, although only about 50 percent of those may be aware of it. Women who develop gestational diabetes in pregnancy may have very rapid onset and advancement of diabetic retinopathy.
Both diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema are detected during a comprehensive eye exam that includes visual acuity testing — the common eye chart. Before that, a person may notice floating spots in their vision, (the hemorrhages of retinopathy) or the blurred vision caused by diabetic macular edema. Another test that will allow the eye doctor to see changes in the blood vessels of the retina and optic nerve involve pupil dilation.
Vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy is usually irreversible, however controlling diabetes by keeping the blood sugar down reduces the risk to the eyes, the kidneys and the nerves. Controlling the blood pressure and dietary cholesterol also helps.
The medical interventions to correct or help diabetic retinopathy include laser surgery, injection of steroids into the eye, or monthly injections of drugs into the eyeball to block abnormal blood vessels growth. Sometime the entire vitreous humor of the eye — the gel like center of the eye which gives it its shape, must be removed. Many times after these interventions, the person is left with very limited vision and may need rehabilitation services for those with low vision.
Another brighter way is to avoid type II diabetes altogether by eating low fat, low sugar, organic healthy foods, exercising strategically every day, avoiding excess alcohol consumption, and other harmful drugs. Live well so that you can see your grandchildren grow up … Set the example that they can see!
•••
Jane Riley is a certified nutritional adviser and certified behavior change specialist. she can be reached at janerileyfitness@gmail.com
212-8119 and www.janerileyfitness.com
