5 Signs of an Eye Allergy - And What to Do About Them
Allergies are notorious for causing sneezing and coughing but can also cause bothersome eye symptoms. Read on to learn five signs of eye allergies and what you can do about them.
Understanding How Diabetes Can Diminish Your Ocular Health and Impair Your Vision
Diabetes doesn’t just affect your blood sugar levels. It can also significantly impact your ocular health.
In the spirit of National Diabetes Month, Nicanor Lacsina, O.D., Yelena Pinkhasova, O.D., and the Bainbridge Eye Care team want to take a minute to share how diabetes can impact your vision, how to protect your vision, and how a diabetic eye exam can help you.
How diabetes affects your eyes
If left unmanaged, diabetes can lead to serious eye problems, including:
Diabetic retinopathy
High blood sugar levels can damage all the blood vessels in your body, including the ones in your eyes, which can lead to a diabetic retinopathy condition.
When these tiny blood vessels are damaged, it can lead to swelling, leakage, or abnormal growth of new blood vessels. This condition can result in blurred vision, vision loss, and even blindness if untreated.
Cataracts
People with diabetes are three to four times more likely to develop cataracts by the age of 65. Cataracts cloud your eye’s lens, which then causes blurry vision and difficulty seeing at night. Some describe it as trying to see out a dirty or foggy window.
Glaucoma
Diabetes increases your risk of glaucoma, a condition that damages the optic nerve in your eye due to increased intraocular pressure. Glaucoma can have consequences for your vision; it’s the second-leading cause of blindness in the world.
Macular edema
Diabetes can also cause swelling (edema) in your macula. Your macula is the central part of your retina and is responsible for sharp, straight-ahead vision.
This condition, called diabetic macular edema, results in blurry or distorted vision; left untreated, it can lead to severe visual impairment and even blindness.
How to protect your vision
With over 20 years of experience, Nicanor Lacsina, O.D., and Yelena Pinkhasova, O.D., are experts in providing diabetic eye care, including eye exams.
If you have diabetes, your routine eye exam can save your vision. Issues, such as high intraocular pressure, can be detected during an exam, and the sooner you detect problems, the sooner you can get started with treatment.
Glaucoma, for example, can be managed with special eye drops, a laser, or surgery. If you have diabetic retinopathy, you may benefit from a vitrectomy to remove blood and scar tissue from your vitreous.
In addition to routine exams, the following lifestyle changes can help protect your vision:
- Manage your blood sugar levels (and follow your diabetes management plan)
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Eat foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, selenium, and zinc
- Wear sunglasses when you’re outside
If you have diabetes (or even prediabetes!) and are concerned about your eye health, don’t hesitate to visit Bainbridge Eye Care in the Bronx, New York. It’s our goal to help reduce your risk of these complications, and if you do develop them, we help slow down their progression.
You can reach us at 718-306-9127 or via our online scheduling portal today.
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