Caring for Your Eyes

Four eye care tips for diabetics

21 January 2020

Ramona Matthews

Diabetes can adversely affect the human body in many different ways. Unfortunately, the eyes are one of the body parts that can be damaged by diabetes. Diabetics are more prone to serious eye conditions, such as diabetic retinopathy.

This eye disease results in eventual blindness, so it's important to do everything you can if you're a diabetic to protect your vision and prevent blindness. Here are four tips to care for your eyes if you have diabetes.

Visit the eye doctor regularly

Whether you are a diabetic or not, many changes in the eye happen so gradually it can be difficult to even know something is happening until an eye disease is quite advanced. An optometrist, however, can detect subtle changes to the eye long before you notice them. Diabetics should have their eyes examined by a professional at least every two years. Your doctor may recommend you see the eye doctor even more often if you already show signs of eye troubles or your blood sugar is poorly controlled. Regular examinations will help your eye doctor better manage your eye health.

Eat properly

You probably already know how important it is for a diabetic to eat the right foods and avoid the wrong foods — the goal is to control your blood sugar. But when your blood sugar spikes, it can change the blood vessels in your eyes.

Avoid white bread, white rice, potatoes and refined grains. Instead, choose whole grains and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. When you eat properly, it will help prevent your blood sugar from spiking and causing blood vessel problems in your eyes.

Don't smoke or drink

Smoking isn't good for any part of your body, and that includes the eyes. Smoking narrows the blood vessels. Smoke irritates the eyes. If you are a current smoker, ask your doctor for help quitting. Smoking will only make a diabetic's health issues worse.

Drinking alcohol can cause your blood sugar to spike too high. It can also cause your blood sugar to drop dangerously low. The wide swings in blood sugar are hard on your body, including the blood vessels in your eyes. If you must drink, keep it to the minimum, and choose something like a dry wine that doesn't have much sugar.

Stay Active

The biggest goal a diabetic has is to keep their blood sugar stable and stop it from spiking. In addition to eating properly, staying active and getting plenty of exercise can help keep your blood sugar levels under control. While these tips may not be able to prevent diabetic retinopathy, healthy lifestyle choices may delay complications and eventual blindness.

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