But if he didn't pay for his diabetes meds, he could be a blind millionaire.
Indeed, thanks
to plenty of health resources in the mainstream media and online, the dangers
of diabetes are now common knowledge among the educated, but there are still
those who are not in the know, especially the fortunate ones who have had absolutely
no contact with the illness and hence, no need to read up about it.
Nevertheless, diabetes is becoming more commonplace, as observed in my previous article.
Diabetes will not cause too much impact on a patient’s life if it is treated
with proper care and understanding. However, if the condition is not kept under
control, a patient could end up losing essential body functions, such as sense
of sight.
There is a
group of eye problems that diabetic patients may face as a complication of
diabetes. These problems include:
- Diabetic
retinopathy, where blood vessels in the retina are damaged. This condition
occurs when blood sugar levels fluctuate in the body over time.
- Cataract – While common in old age, cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes.
- Glaucoma – increased fluid pressure in the eye causes damage to the optic nerve and leads to loss of vision. While not unique to diabetic patients, some with diabetes has nearly twice the probability to contract it compared to other adults.
- Cataract – While common in old age, cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes.
- Glaucoma – increased fluid pressure in the eye causes damage to the optic nerve and leads to loss of vision. While not unique to diabetic patients, some with diabetes has nearly twice the probability to contract it compared to other adults.
These
conditions will lead to partial or total blindness. Fortunately, they can be
treated in their early stages. If you have diabetes, you should have an eye
checkup every year. If your vision is blurred or you’re seeing dark spots and
shadows, seek an
Ophthalmologist immediately. In the meantime,
control your condition by taking medication as advised by your doctor and
leading a healthy lifestyle.
Laser treatments are commonly used to treat the
above-mentioned eye problems. They are usually painless and recovery is very
quick. For more complex problems, however, surgery may have to be done. Retinotherapy
can also be treated with medicines that help to slow down the occurrence of
damaged blood vessels in the retina.
Of course, prevention is still the best cure and can save
you lots of time, money, effort and pain. So don’t scrimp on that yearly
check-up or necessary visits to the doctor, or you may find yourself
sacrificing much more.
Written by: Ng Mei Yi
Sources:
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