Diabetes has many ocular complications, with retinopathy being the most common and harmful. A report from the U.S. National Diabetes Commission states that diabetic patients are 25 times more likely to become blind than non-diabetics. Currently, diabetic retinopathy is one of the four leading causes of blindness after age-related macular degeneration. However, early treatment of diabetic retinopathy still yields relatively ideal results, and the cost of early prevention is much lower than that of late-stage treatment. Therefore, it is particularly important for diabetic patients to prevent eye diseases, which can effectively prevent or delay the onset of eye diseases.
Diabetic Eye Disease Prevention Strategy
The earlier the diabetic eye disease is treated, the better the effect. Because of the irreversible nature of the lesion, prevention is the most important step, and the cost of early prevention is much lower than that of late-stage treatment, with better efficacy.
Firstly, control blood sugar. Strict control of blood sugar is the basic method to prevent and treat diabetic eye disease. Someone conducted a 20-year observation and found that more than 80% of diabetic patients with poor blood sugar control would develop retinopathy after 20 years, while only about 10% of well-controlled patients developed retinopathy, with an exceptionally large difference.
Secondly, control blood pressure. Blood pressure, lipid levels, and blood sugar are all important for preventing diabetic eye disease. Someone studied two groups of diabetic patients, one with hypertension and the other with normal blood pressure, observing the impact of blood pressure on fundus lesions. The results showed that the incidence of diabetic retinopathy in the hypertension group was 34% higher. The main vision of each person depends on the light reflection of the macula. If the macula swells, it will affect vision. Some people believe that the most vision-affecting aspect of diabetes is the swelling of the macula. An experiment was done with one group having hypertension and the other having normal blood pressure. The results showed that the vision of the hypertension group was significantly lower than that of the normal blood pressure group. In other words, controlling blood pressure regularly is very important. If blood pressure is not controlled well, it is easy to develop diabetic eye disease. Some patients may have poor blood pressure at this stage but temporarily show no reaction, but if this continues, the chance of developing diabetic retinopathy within 10 years is very high, leading to blindness.
Thirdly, control lipid levels. Lipid levels are also very important. When a patient has severe hyperlipidemia, lipoproteins containing large amounts of triglycerides in the blood can cause the color of retinal vessels to fade and approach milky white. These lipoproteins may further leak out of the capillaries, resulting in retinal lipid exudation, appearing as yellow patches on the retina. If lipid exudation invades the macula, it can severely affect vision.
Retinal vein thrombosis caused by hyperlipidemia has very serious consequences and is not easily detected early. High concentrations of lipids can activate platelets, making them release multiple coagulation factors, increasing the aggregation of platelets, and forming thrombi inside the blood vessels. If thrombi occur inside the eyes, it can cause retinal vessel blockage.
Central vein obstruction can be manifested as ring-shaped bleeding and exudation around the optic disc and enlarged retinal veins, causing severe vision loss, and in older people, significant vision loss can lead to blindness.
Fourthly, regular examinations. Diabetic retinopathy is irreversible and must be detected and treated early. Therefore, diabetic patients must undergo regular vision and fundus examinations. Type 1 diabetic patients should have an annual examination starting 5 years after diagnosis; type 2 diabetic patients should have an annual examination starting from the time of diagnosis. If there are any abnormal eye sensations, the frequency of ophthalmic follow-ups should be shortened. Once diabetic patients experience eye discomfort, they should seek medical attention promptly and follow the doctor's treatment recommendations.
Fifthly, cultivate good living habits and rules, quit bad habits. Diabetic patients must quit smoking; their diet should be bland, eating less spicy, stimulating, and high-fat foods; exercise appropriately, but avoid strenuous activities; mental laborers should pay attention to eye hygiene, avoiding prolonged reading or computer use to prevent visual fatigue, thus delaying the onset of diabetic retinopathy as much as possible.
Additionally, diabetic patients and their families need to enhance their awareness of diabetes and its various complications. In our years of clinical work, we have found that under the joint efforts of patients and doctors, many types of diabetic eye diseases can be well controlled, greatly improving the quality of life for patients.
Many people need to use computers for work, so in recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the proportion of dry eye syndrome among outpatient patients, and diabetic patients are more prone to dry eye syndrome.
We once conducted a survey and found that the incidence of dry eye syndrome among IT professionals and writers reached as high as 70%, and the incidence in other industries was also astonishing, so prevention is very important. Long-term computer use, watching TV, and wearing unsuitable glasses are all factors that cause eye fatigue, leading to dry eye syndrome. Fundamentally, the main cause of dry eye syndrome is eye fatigue, with a significant decrease in blinking and tear secretion.
How Diabetics Can Peacefully Coexist with Computers
Self-regulation
After using the computer for some time, perform a 5-minute blinking exercise, which can improve the regulation function of the ciliary muscle; or do an eye massage. There are many acupoints around the eyes, and many meridians pass through here. By massaging these acupoints, the condition of visual fatigue can be significantly improved.
Passive Regulation
You can also use small eye-massaging devices. Most of these devices are designed based on traditional Chinese medicine meridian theory. The human body has eight meridians passing through the eyes, and these devices select some acupoints from these meridians. Once the device is worn, it covers the acupoints and meridians exactly, effectively improving visual fatigue through stimulation and massage of the acupoints and meridians.
Dietary or Herbal Soup Regulation
In traditional Chinese medicine, "medicine and food have the same origin," so you can use some foods to regulate the state of visual fatigue. Non-diabetic eye disease patients can drink tea, such as chrysanthemum green tea. For diabetic patients, you can soak chrysanthemum, wolfberry, and cassia seeds, which nourish yin, nourish the liver, and improve vision. Drink twice a day with hot water, one cup in the morning and one in the afternoon. When the water temperature is not too hot, place your eyes near the cup opening and use the steam from the herbal tea to fumigate your eyes. Once the tea cools slightly, drink it. This way, one serving of herbal tea serves two purposes in protecting your eyes, both internally and externally.
How Diabetics Protect Their Eyes While Traveling
Whether domestically or internationally, most experts advocate the three treasures of blood sugar control: carry plain water, exercise more, and eat more vegetables. Traveling is a great way to stay active, but during summer, the sunlight is strong, and ultraviolet rays are intense. Many research materials have clearly shown that UV exposure can induce cataracts. Therefore, whether for diabetic patients or normal individuals, it is necessary to use umbrellas and wear protective sunglasses, such as sunshades, when going out in summer. When purchasing sunglasses, make sure to choose ones that truly protect against UV rays.
Keywords: Diabetes Care, Diabetic Eye Disease
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