Watch out! Having diabetes can injure your eyes severely - Part I

Watch out! Having diabetes can injure your eyes severely - Part I

Having too much sugar in your blood can injure many parts of the body, including your heart, kidneys -- even your eyes.

Diabetes is a serious disease, but if an individual adopts healthy lifestyle habits, complications can be prevented.

It's important to check your blood sugar levels regularly and make sure you lower it if necessary. Too high of a blood sugar level, especially over a prolonged period, can damage many areas of the body.

Insofar as the eyes are concerned, diabetes can damage the blood vessels in your eyes.

This damage can lead to glaucoma, cataracts, structural changes to your retina, even blindness.

When blood vessels are damaged, nerve signals can't reach your eyes.

In addition, having diabetes can lead to a buildup of pressure from fluid, which can compress nerves and other structures in your eyes.

Given the above information, it is essential to know how your eye works.

When we look at something, light passes through the front of the eye, and is focused by the lens onto the retina. The retina is a delicate tissue that is sensitive to light. It converts the light into electrical signals that travel along the optic nerve to the brain. The brain, in turn, interprets these signals to "see" the world around us. The retina is supplied with blood by a delicate network of blood vessels.

These blood vessels can be damaged by diabetes.

Light is focused onto an area of the retina called the macula, which is about the size of a pinhead. This highly specialised part of the retina is vital, because it allows you to see fine detail for activities such as reading and writing, and to recognise colours.

The rest of the retina gives you side vision (peripheral vision). The eye is filled with a clear jelly-like substance called the vitreous gel. Light passes through the gel to focus on the macula.

The most serious eye condition associated with diabetes involves the network of blood vessels supplying the retina. This condition is called diabetic retinopathy.

The unusual changes in blood sugar levels resulting from diabetes can affect the lens inside the eye, especially when diabetes is uncontrolled. This can result in blurring of vision which comes and goes over the day, depending on your blood sugar levels.

A longer term effect of diabetes is that the lens can go cloudy and this is called a cataract.

Not everyone who has diabetes develops an eye complication. Of those that do, many people have a very mild form of retinopathy which may never progress to a sight threatening condition.

In diabetic retinopathy, diabetes affects the tiny blood vessels of the eye and if they become blocked or leak then the retina and possibly your vision will be affected.

The extent of these changes determines what type of diabetic retinopathy you have. Forty per cent of people with type 1 diabetes and twenty per cent with type 2 diabetes will develop some sort of diabetic retinopathy.

In diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels in the retina are only very mildly affected, they may bulge slightly (microaneurysm) and may leak blood (haemorrhages) or fluid (exudates).

As long as the macula is not affected, vision is normal and you will not be aware that anything is wrong.

Your retinal screening test will keep a close check on these early changes and ensure that any signs of progression to more serious stages of retinopathy are detected early.

Maculopathy means that your macula is affected by retinopathy.

If this happens, your central vision will be affected and you may find it difficult to see detail such as recognising people's faces in the distance or seeing detail such as small print.

Most maculopathy can be treated with laser with the aim of preserving as much vision as possible. The amount of central vision that is lost varies from person to person. However, the vision that allows you to get around at home and outside (peripheral vision) is not affected.

If diabetic retinopathy progresses, it can cause the larger blood vessels in the retina to become blocked. These blockages can result in areas of the retina becoming starved of oxygen. This is called ischaemia. If this happens the eye is stimulated into growing new vessels, a process called neo-vascularisation.

This is the proliferative stage of diabetic retinopathy, and is nature's way of trying to repair the damage by growing a new blood supply to the oxygen starved area of your retina.

Unfortunately, these new blood vessels are weak, and grow in the wrong place - on the surface of the retina and into the vitreous gel. As a result, these blood vessels can bleed very easily which may result in large haemorrhages over the surface of the retina or into the vitreous gel. These types of haemorrhages can totally obscure the vision in the affected eye as light is blocked by the bleed. With time the blood can be reabsorbed and vision can improve.

Extensive haemorrhages can lead to scar tissue forming which pulls and distorts the retina. This type of advanced diabetic eye disease can result in the retina becoming detached with the risk of serious sight loss.

Only between 5 and 10 per cent of all diabetics develop proliferative retinopathy. It is more common in people with type 1 diabetes than type 2. Sixty per cent of type 1 diabetics show some signs of proliferative disease after having diabetes for 30 years.

The following action reduces your risk of developing retinopathy or helps to stop it from getting worse:

• controlling your blood sugar (glucose levels)
• tightly controlling your blood pressure
• controlling your cholesterol levels
• keeping fit, maintaining a healthy weight and giving up smoking are all part of good diabetes control. Nerve damage, kidney and cardiovascular disease are more likely in smokers with diabetes. Smoking increases your blood pressure and raises your blood sugar level which makes it harder to control your diabetes
• regular retinal screening (see more below). The most effective thing you can do to prevent sight loss due to diabetic retinopathy is to attend your retinal screening appointments. Early detection and treatment prevents sight loss.

Risk factors that cannot be controlled:

• the length of time you have had diabetes. This is a major risk for developing diabetic retinopathy
• your age affects the progression of diabetic retinopathy
• your ethnicity. Studies have suggested higher levels of diabetic retinopathy in certain ethnic groups, while other work has suggested that these differences are due only to social factors.

Most complications can be treated, but it is vital that they are diagnosed early. They can only be detected by a detailed examination of the eye carried out at a specialist screening centre.

Source: ANI

YOGA FOR YOUR EYES

YOGA FOR YOUR EYES

SIMPLE WAYS IN WHICH YOGA CAN MAKE YOUR EYES HEALTHY
Step – 1
Sit straight and raise your right arm to shoulder level
Now clench your fingers into a first, keeping the thumb out and facing upwards keep the arm in line with your eyes and look at the thumb without blinking.
Hold this posture for as long as you can
Move your arm towards your right but keep your eyes on the thumb. Don’t turn your face
Follow the thumb’ with your eyes only. When you are not able to see the thumb any more, bring it back to the original position and close your eyes.
Let your eyes rest for a minute. Repeat with the left hand. Do this twice for each hand.
Step – 2
Raise your arm to eye level and again clench your fingers into a first, keeping the thumb out and facing up wards. Now, bend your arm at the elbow, so that your thumb comes closer to your eyes in a vertical position.
Keep your eyes fixed on the thumb and bring it close to your nose, till you feel a strain Then, return it to its original position slowly, still keeping your eyes fixed on it
Close your eyes for a minute. Repeat twice

OTHER EXERCISES:

• Keep your face and neck absolutely straight.
• Open your eyes as wide as you can and rotate them in a clockwise and in an anti-clockwise direction very slowly. Repeat five times for each direction.
• Look at the tip of your nose. Your face and neck should stay straight and only your eyes should move. Then, close your eyes and let them rest for a minute. Open your eyes again and try to focus on the spot between your eyebrow. Close your eyes and rest for a minute. Repeat twice.
• Open and shut your eyes, slowly at first and then in quick succession. Rotate 25-30 times and then close your eyes and allow them to rest for two minutes
• Rub your palms together till they feel warm. Then place your palms on your eyes. When you stop feeling the warmth, remove palms.

MAKE YOUR EYE YOGA REGIMEN MORE EFFECTIVE

• Walk barefoot on dew-laden grass early in the morning
• Fill your mouth with water and splash cold water on your eyes.
• Do this three to five times in a day.
• Avoid maintaining too bright or too dark an ambiance in your living room. While working, always ensure that the light source is behind you, ideally towards the left
• Always protect your eyes from dust, smoke and intense light.
• HOME EYE CARE
• Add ½ cup water to triphala powder and mix well. Rinse your eyes well with this mix every morning
• Soak five almonds in water overnight. In the morning, peel them and grind them coarsely with five daigi mirch (pot chili). Chew well
  Soak cotton pads in rosewater and place these pads over your eyes.
• Relax for then minutes.
• Vitamin A – Prevents night blindness
• Sources: Carrot, apricot, tulip, green leafy
• Vegetables like spinach, broccoli
• Vitamin C – Reduces risk of glaucoma and mascular degeneration
• Sources: Orange, lemon, papayas, tomato, cantaloupe,
  Strawberry, mango, broccoli
• Vitamin E – Reduces risk of cataracts it is also called the anti-ageing vitamin
• Sources: Almonds, sunflower seeds and oil, peanuts,
  Vegetable oil, whole grains, sweet potatoes

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY WHAT IS DIABETIC RETINOPATHY?

 
It refers to retinal changes in diabetes patients; Initial control of the disease can delay the development of diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy refers to retinal changes seen in patients with diabetes mellitus.
With increased in life expectancy of diabetics, the incidence of diabetic
Retinopathy has increased.
In India about 31.7 million people have diabetes.
At present, India has the maximum number of people suffering from diabetes in the world.
Already, the disease shows high prevalence rate, especially in the relatively more affluent sections of our society
The risk of blindness is about 25 times greater in diabetics than in non diabetics.
FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
Duration of diabetes is the most important factor.
About half of diabetics develop diabetic retinopathy after 10 years.
After 20 years, almost all diabetics may develop diabetic retinopathy.
Duration of diabetes is important for development of diabetic retinopathy, not the severity
Incidence is more in females as compared to males
Severity of diabetic retinopathy is not related to levels of blood sugar
It is transmitted as a recessive trait without sex linkage

PREVENTION
An eye specialist can diagnose diabetic retinopathy with the help of fundus examination of eye
For every diabetic whether he or she has no diabetic retinopathy.
Yearly follow-up of vision and fundus is must
Control your blood sugar.
There is increasing evidence to suggest that good initial control of diabetes delays the development of diabetic retinopathy
Control of hypertension is essential in all diabetic patients to prevent detrimental effects to retinal circulation
Anaemia should also be treated as its presence may worsen diabetic retinopathy.
So take diet rich in iron like green leafy vegetables and other iron supplements
Avoid fatty diet
Aspirin and dipyridamole decrease platelet stickiness and may have beneficial effects but use after consulting a doctor
Exercise at least thrice a week.
Do brisk walking
Avoid smoking and alcohol as they are harmful for a diabetic person

EYE FLU DURING RAINY SEASON

Eye flu during rainy season

Hot and humid conditions during rainy season aggravate such infections. Most viral infections tend to affect the epithelium, both of the conjunctivas and cornea, says leading eye specialists.

As the rainy season starts, usually children suffer from viral infections in eye commonly known as eye flu or viral conjunctivitis, a troublesome eye disease. Hot and humid conditions aggravate such eye infections.

Symptoms:

Red, swollen eyes

Watery discharge from eyes

Swelling of conjunctiva

Severe itching

Pain in eyes

Blurring of vision

Lid swelling

Feeling of discomfort and foreign body sensations in eyes

Predisposing factors

Disease is caused by virus infection like adeno virus, herpes simplex virus, and myxo virus and pox virus

Hot and humid conditions during rainy season aggravate such infections

Most of the viral infections tend to affect the epithelium, both of the conjunctiva and cornea

Because the disease is highly infectious, once a child becomes infected, the entire family may also catch the infection

There is a myth that the disease spreads just by looking into an infected eye but this is not true. Fingers pick up the virus if we touch the infected eye and get transmitted

"Several children contract eye infections from swimming pool"

Prevention:

-Avoid going to swimming pool which has regular chlorination of water

-Avoid shaking hand. Wash hands with soap after handshake

-Clean your eyes with clean water two to three times a day

-Don’t use common towels or handkerchief

-Personal hygiene should be good

Treatment:

Wear dark goggles

Use anti-allergic eye drops three to four time a day

Cold compress gives soothing effect to eyes

Disease is usually self limiting

No specific effective treatment is known. But to avoid secondary bacterial infection broad spectrum antibiotic eye drops may be used three to four times a day for about seven days

Usually the disease has a self limiting course of five to seven days

Steroid eye drops should never be used in eye flu. If needed, should be given after consulting an eye specialist

ROSE WATER FOR YOUR EYES

All eye problems cannot be prevented, but a lot can be done to slow the progression of many eye disorders and prevent visual impairment –

Eye is one of the most important body parts in human body. While not all eye problems can be prevented, a lot can be done to slow the progression of many eye disorders and prevent visual impairment.

TRIGGERING FACTORS:

Lack of nutritious diet like retinal (vitamin A) and calcium

Inadequate sleep

Improper sitting posture

Straining of eyes in excess and not giving them proper time to relax

Direct exposure to sunlight may also lead to blurred vision

Smoking is another factor

NATURAL FOOD:

A balanced diet of vitamin A, C, E beta Carotene, calcium, anti-oxidant vitamins, should be taken to provide nourishment, like tomatoes, amia, walnut, oranges, kiwis, grapefruit, dried apricots, tomatoes, people, green leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach, green peas, green beans, nuts seeds carrots, deity products, eggs cheese, fish, poultry, and milk.

FOOD TIPS:

Take almonds, fennel and sugar candies in equal amount take two tablespoon of this paste with warm milk during bed time it helps in fading away eye ailments.

EYE WASH:

With trifala water and rose water is good for eyes

EXTERNAL APPLICATION:

Use eye drops made of rose water and lime juice in equal amount, or with onion juice

Rose water mixed with potash alum in one seventh of its quantity used it two drops

Use water filled in green bottle kept in sunlight for washing eyes

Application of honey

EXERCISE TIPS:

Massaging palms and soles with the warm mustard oil

Rub your palms with each other and keep them on your cheeks and eyes 5 minutes

Blinking of eyes 15 times regularly per hour helps in increasing circulation in eyes

Rotation of pupil in all the directions while keeping head and back straight for 15 times per hour

TRATAK YOGIK KRIYA:

Continuously stare at thumb of your hand which is placed parallel to your eyes

Health tips:

Use solution make of fennel seeds, honey and cold water to wash eyes