This article explores four things diabetics can do to keep their eyes healthy such as visiting the eye doctor regularly, eating a healthy diet, keeping fit, and stopping smoking and drinking alcohol. Read on to find out more!
See Your Optometrist Regularly
If you have diabetes or are at risk of developing it (for example, due to family history or carrying extra weight), then your optometrist can test for signs of vascular retinopathy using an eye scan called an OCT (optical coherence tomography). If you are found to have early signs of eye damage, they can refer you to a retinal specialist who can advise you on how to keep your eyes healthy.
Stop Smoking and Drinking Alcohol
Quitting smoking has many health benefits, including reducing your risk of developing eyesight problems. Similarly, drinking too much alcohol can also increase your chances of developing eye damage. Furthermore, high blood pressure caused by heavy alcohol use may damage the blood vessels in your retina. By reducing the amount of alcohol and tobacco you consume, you can help your eyes to stay healthy.
Enjoy a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet can help to lower your blood glucose levels. This, in turn, can help to reduce your risk of developing eye damage. A healthy diet for diabetics contains plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, pulses, and whole grains. It should also have less fat and sugar than a standard diet. Your doctor or diabetes specialist will be able to recommend specific foods that are high in fibre but low in fat and sugar. Eating a healthy diet can also help you lose weight if you are overweight and therefore at risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Always check with your eye doctor or a dietician before making any big changes to your diet.
Get Some Exercise
Exercise can help to lower your blood pressure and also reduce the levels of fats and sugars in your blood. As such, it can help to protect against the development of eye problems. Choose an exercise that you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, or running. If you have problems with your feet or legs due to nerve damage, swimming is a great way to exercise. You should ask your doctor or diabetes specialist for advice before beginning an exercise programme. They may suggest that you carry out some preliminary checks with a doctor who specialises in exercise medicine first.
If you want to find out more, you should contact an optometrist today.
Share26 February 2021
If you want to maintain your eye health, it is really important that you have regular check-ups with an optometrist. An optometrist will perform a number of different tests on your eyes. Because I didn't need glasses, I didn't think I had to go to an eye doctor. However, my wife suggested that I book an appointment for a check-up. I did so and I am so pleased I did. It turns out that I had a problem with my eyes which could cause blindness if left untreated. Thankfully, we caught it early enough so I am now fully recovered. I hope this blog helps you to look after your vision.