28 | Living with Diabetes
PREVENTING
THIS ISSUE OF FAMILY DOCTOR AIMS TO GIVE
DIABETIC COMPLICATIONS
YOU THE BEST INFORMATION POSSIBLE ABOUT
MANAGING YOUR CONDITION WHILE LIVING THE
LIFE YOU WANT AND DESERVE. HOWEVER, IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS.
iabetic complications
are health problems
Dcaused by diabetes.
Diabetes causes your blood
sugar level to be higher than
normal. Over time, high blood
sugar levels can damage your
blood vessels and nerves. This
damage can cause problems in
many areas of the body.
warning signs of eye problems EYE PROBLEMS
also called diabetic retinopathy
Call your doctor if you have:
The retina is the part of the eye
that is sensitive to light and sends
Blurry vision Sudden loss Black or Flashing Pain or
messages to your brain about what
for more of vision in gray spots, lights in your pressure in you see. Diabetes can damage and
than two one or both cobwebs or vision that your eye(s)
weaken the small blood vessels in
days eyes strings that aren’t really
the retina. This damage is called
move or drift there
when you
diabetic retinopathy.
move your
eyes (called When the blood vessels of your
fl o a t e r s )
retina are damaged, fl uid can leak
from them and cause swelling
in your macula. The macula, the
central part of the retina, gives you
sharp, clear vision. The swelling
and fl uid can cause blurry vision
and make it hard for you to see.
If retinopathy gets worse, it may
lead to blindness.
Laser surgery is a common option
to treat or slow down retinopathy,
especially if the problem is found
early. People who have diabetes
should have an eye exam at least
once a year.
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