| When you received your type 2 diabetes | | | | number of affected blood vessels has |
| diagnosis, perhaps if was difficult for you to | | | | substantially increased. Because the retina is no |
| understand how this condition has the power to | | | | longer getting the blood supply it needs, it signals |
| affect almost every organ in your body... even | | | | the body to start to grow new blood vessels |
| your eyes! If left unchecked, type 2 diabetes has | | | | - the final stage is very advanced and is known |
| the ability to bring about a number of devastating | | | | as proliferate retinopathy. The new blood vessels |
| long-term complications... one of the most | | | | are growing but they are abnormal. One of the |
| common is damage to your eyes. | | | | abnormalities is very weak walls which can allow |
| On the bright side, you can prevent some of | | | | the blood vessels to leak. If they do leak blood, |
| these problems by having an eye exam yearly | | | | you will experience a loss of vision which will |
| and getting treatment should any symptoms be | | | | eventually end in blindness. The blood vessels can |
| found. The typical diabetic eye diseases are: | | | | also leak into the macula and cause a condition |
| - diabetic retinopathy | | | | known as macula edema. This makes vision blurry. |
| - cataracts and | | | | Caring for your eyes |
| - glaucomaLet's take a look at the most common | | | | 1. The number one thing you can do to protect |
| eye disease, diabetic retinopathy, and what it can | | | | your eyes is to have an eye exam by a vision |
| mean for you. It develops in the retina and | | | | professional once a year. Loss of vision can be |
| doesn't just afflict diabetics... it's the number one | | | | slowed or prevented if caught in time, and |
| cause of blindness in adults in the United States. | | | | treated. You can reduce your risk of blindness |
| Diabetic retinopathy can cause enlarged blood | | | | from diabetic retinopathy by as much as 95%, |
| vessels in the retina from which fluid can leak. Or, | | | | simply by early detection and treatment. |
| it can cause the growth of abnormal blood | | | | 2. Taking control of your blood sugar level can |
| vessels, also on the retina. | | | | slow and even stop diabetic retinopathy. You can |
| Four Stages of Retinopathy | | | | maintain blood sugar levels as close to normal as |
| Diabetic retinopathy goes through four different | | | | possible by following a diabetic diet and exercising |
| stages. Many people are already in stage one or | | | | at least three times a week. Make sure to test |
| two when they first receive their diagnosis of | | | | your blood sugar frequently. |
| type 2 diabetes. The stages are mild, moderate, | | | | 3. Control your blood pressure and cholesterol |
| severe and proliferate (very advanced). | | | | levels. These have also been found to speed the |
| - the mild stage quite often has no symptoms at | | | | progress of diabetic retinopathy. |
| all but can be detected in an eye exam. There is | | | | Blindness is not a pleasant prospect but having |
| slight swelling in the blood vessels | | | | type 2 diabetes does not mean you will go blind. |
| - in the moderate stage of diabetic retinopathy, | | | | Early detection and grabbing control of your blood |
| some of the blood vessels are now blocked. This | | | | sugar level can do wonders for the health of your |
| means that the retina is not receiving the | | | | eyes. The best thing you can do is to have an |
| nourishment it needs | | | | eye exam once a year and lose the extra pounds |
| - by the time severe retinopathy is reached, the | | | | that are the cause of your type 2 diabetes. |