Health New England | Health Matters | Wellness Guide 2019

Health Matters ∞ 13 Diabetes: How to Protect Your Sight If you have diabetes, you may already know the disease can hurt your eyes. But just how does that happen? The following info can help you under- stand one of the main ways diabetes damages the eyes—and how to protect your precious vision. Over time, elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels can damage the tiny blood vessels in a part of the eye called the retina. That’s where light is converted to signals for the brain to “see.” When damaged, these blood vessels can bleed or leak fluid. This condition is called retinopathy. Like other forms of diabetic eye disease, retinop- athy can lead to severe vision loss if it isn’t treat- ed. And yet it usually has no symptoms at first. That’s why people with diabetes need dilated eye exams at least once a year. These exams allow the eye doctor to detect and treat retinopathy early, which may prevent severe vision loss. Di- lated eye exams can help your doctor spot other diabetes-related eye problems too. Here’s one more vital way to protect your eyes: keep your glucose and blood pressure levels (high blood pressure can also hurt your eyes) in good control. Ask your doctor what your glu- cose and blood pressure goals should be and how to reach them. Sources: American Diabetes Association; National Eye Institute Kidney tests. Your doctor may want you to have urine and blood tests every year to check on the health of your kidneys. Over time, your kidneys can be damaged by high glucose and high blood pressure levels. Good diabetes care helps pre- vent this. And finding kidney disease early allows you to take steps that may help keep it from getting worse. The urine test checks for a protein called albumin, which can be a sign of kidney problems. The blood test monitors your kidney function. Sources: American Diabetes Association; National Diabetes Education Program; U.S. National Library of Medicine Dental exams. Diabetes raises your risk of teeth and gum problems. To help protect your smile, see your dentist regularly for checkups. iabetes Ask your doctor, nurse or other diabetes care providers which of these tests and exams are right for you.