5 Steps to Prevent Diabetic Eye Disease

Diabetes affects everything from your feet to your eyes. If you don’t take care of your body’s needs as it copes with this condition, you could wind up with a range of lifestyle-impacting problems.

Take diabetic eye disease as an example. This group of diseases — from diabetic retinopathy to glaucoma — have two things in common. First, your diabetes makes them worse. Second, if they go unchecked, they can lead to vision loss. 

Fortunately, if you regularly visit our team here at Edwin Y. Endo, OD & Associates, we can help you keep your eyes healthy even when you’re living with diabetes. As experts in eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, we can help you watch for the signs of any vision-disrupting conditions. When we catch them early, treating or managing them gets much easier. 

Long story short, regularly visiting our office in Aiea, Hawaii, goes a long way toward protecting your ability to see. When you visit us, we tailor a care plan for your eyes based on your health conditions. That said, we generally recommend the following 5 steps for our patients who want to avoid diabetic eye disease. 

#1: Control your blood sugar levels

High blood sugar levels put your eyes at risk. Diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to scarring in your eye, is directly caused by excess blood sugar, for example. 

If you needed an extra reason to closely monitor your blood sugar levels after your diabetes diagnosis, this is it. Keeping those levels as close to normal as possible goes a long way toward limiting your risk of diabetic eye disease. 

#2: Adopt a healthy diet

Eating healthily makes it easier to balance your blood sugar. Plus, a nutritious diet helps your eyes function their best whether you have diabetes or not. 

Foods rich in omega-3 fats (like fish, chia seeds, and walnuts) paired with fruits and vegetables can help to lower your risk of diabetic eye disease. 

Our team offers nutrition counseling to help you eat foods you enjoy that also benefit your eyes. 

#3: Never skip your eye exams

It’s critical that you get your eyes checked at least once a year. At each appointment, we dilate your eyes to look for damage to your optic nerve or unwanted changes in your retina. 

With regular check-ins, we have the highest likelihood of catching eye conditions in their earliest stages. Many diabetic eye diseases don’t cause symptoms right away, so if we can catch and manage the condition early, we can often prevent it from impacting your vision. 

Make it a point to visit our team once a year — or more, if we recommend it. 

#4: Follow your optometrist’s instructions

If Dr. Endo diagnoses a diabetic eye disease and prescribes treatment, it’s important that you stick with the plan. 

If you’re prescribed a certain medicated eye drop, for example, you need to use it on the recommended schedule. Failing to do so can allow your eye condition to worsen, compromising your vision. 

#5: Don’t smoke

Smoking is a known contributor to vision loss and blindness. Since your eyes are already at risk because of your diabetes diagnosis, adding smoking into the mix only makes the situation worse. 

Avoid smoking. If you’re already a regular smoker, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer a range of resources to help you quit. 

These five steps go a long way toward protecting your vision. To stick with step #3 and get your eye exam, call our office or book an appointment online today.