At Palm Beach Eye Center, our passion is preserving eye health. This becomes particularly important for our patients with diabetes because they have an increased risk of eye disease.
Our board-certified and fellowship-trained ophthalmologist, Dr. George Khouri, expertly leads our team as we help patients manage diabetes and eye diseases. Wondering whether you can avoid eye damage from diabetes? Read on to find out.
Can You Prevent Eye Damage from Diabetes?
When our patients receive a diabetes diagnosis, some of the first questions we hear are, “Will I lose my vision?” and “Can I prevent eye damage?”
We have great news. Although vision loss is possible with diabetic eye diseases, it’s usually preventable if you act now.
Preventing diabetes vision loss involves several aspects. First, you need to better understand diabetic eye diseases.
Understanding Diabetic Eye Disease
Diabetic eye disease is a family of conditions more common in people with diabetes. These include:
- Diabetic retinopathy: Damage within eye blood vessels
- Diabetic macular edema: Damage in the center of the retina
- Cataracts: Clouding of the eye lenses
- Glaucoma: Optic nerve damage due to high eye pressure
These conditions are either caused by or worsened by high blood sugar, the core of the health problems in people with diabetes. Dr. Khouri explains how diabetic eye diseases can affect your eyes in an easy-to-understand way.
This information helps you understand why making some changes is crucial to prevent eye damage.
How to Prevent Eye Damage from Diabetes
Preventing eye damage from diabetes involves the following.
- Maintain blood sugar levels: It’s crucial to keep your blood sugar levels within the recommended range. Your primary care doctor or diabetes specialist can help you take steps to achieve stable blood sugar. These include diet, exercise, quitting smoking, and, possibly, medication.
- Regular eye exams: Comprehensive eye exams keep your prescription up to date and monitor for early eye disease signs. Early diagnosis can prevent serious eye damage.
- Monitor blood pressure and cholesterol: Both high cholesterol and high blood pressure can worsen diabetic eye disease. Managing these conditions through lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, and avoiding smoking) and, if necessary, medication can help you avoid eye damage.
Symptoms to Watch For
Even with the best preventive measures, you need to know the symptoms of diabetic eye disease. They include:
- Blurred vision
- Dark or empty spots in your vision
- Flashes of light
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Sudden vision loss
Contact us immediately if you notice these changes. We can respond with fast treatment to help preserve your vision.
Prevent Diabetic Eye Disease: Start Today
Taking proactive steps to prevent diabetic eye disease can save your vision. Don’t wait until vision loss starts. Call us at (561) 366-8300 or reach out online to protect your eyes.
