Guidelines for Living With Diabetes focuses on the ways that people with type 2 diabetes can lead healthy, normal lives even if they have been diagnosed with this disease. Guidelines for Living With Diabetes also offer advice for caregivers of mellitox patients with this type of chronic disease. These include ways to manage stress and cope with symptoms. Caregivers should be informed about medications, which might cause adverse reactions in the diabetic patient, and what they should do to adjust their care if the information is new or uncertain.
Guidelines for Living With Diabetes also deal with the proper wearing of eye glasses and contact lenses, especially for diabetics. It is recommended that these individuals avoid bright lights, such as those from sun lamps and tanning beds. Glaucoma, high blood pressure and cataracts can result if there is a lack of adequate vision loss control. Guidelines for Living With Diabetes explain how having regular eye exams can help detect early stage diabetic glaucoma and correct it if it is present.
Guidelines for Living With Diabetes also deal with the need for regular comprehensive eye exams, regardless of whether or not someone has diabetes. Eye exams should be scheduled annually and regularly repeated based on the patient's specific needs. For some patients, a monthly eye exam will be enough, while others will need more frequent checkups. Guidelines for Living With Diabetes recommend that vision loss is detected early in the course of diabetic eye disease so that the sooner it is corrected the better. It is also important for patients to know when their vision loss will progress beyond the point where it will require regular comprehensive eye exams.
Guidelines for Living With Diabetes also describe the types of treatment for various eye conditions. One of the most common diseases that can affect the eyes is diabetic retinopathy, or old age vision loss. This is often accompanied by diabetic peripheral arterial disease (PVD) and is progressive, which means it will progress as the disease progresses. Diabetic retinopathy can cause damage to the blood vessels in the retina of the eye, leading to blurry vision. For this reason, it is important for people who have either diabetes or PVD to have routine eye exams and to get a correct diagnosis. When diabetes is a contributing factor, it is especially important for the patient to get annual eye exams and for the physician on call to make a correct diagnosis.
Guidelines for Living With Diabetes also discusses the complications of type 2 diabetes, including complications that occur with long-term use diabetes of insulin. The majority of people who have diabetes take insulin for the rest of their lives, even though there are some patients who only need to take the medication on an occasional basis. These patients usually have to take a more active form of the insulin, such as a shot or tablets, to keep the blood sugar levels at a healthy level. Because of the complications that can arise from using too much insulin, it is necessary for people with type 2 diabetes to use a backup form of insulin or a long-acting insulin regimen. Guidelines for Living With Diabetes also discuss the issue of hypoglycemia, which can result from low blood sugar levels.
People who have type 2 diabetes should not wear contact lenses or eyeglasses, and they should avoid being in the sun, tanning beds, swimming pools, and indoor tanning beds. For diabetic patients who have near-normal vision, it is not necessary to wear corrective lenses or eyeglasses. Guidelines for Living With Diabetes also discuss the issue of astigmatism and how it affects people who have type 2 diabetes.
People with diabetes and glaucoma have two different ways that can cause damage to the eyes. One of the problems that can occur is called ocular hypertension, which is caused by a buildup of pressure inside the eye. This can result in damage to the blood vessels, which can ultimately lead to blindness. Another problem is called diabetic retinopathy, which occurs when there is damage to the retina. This can cause a person's vision to deteriorate over time as the blood flow to the retina is reduced.
Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic blindness can both be treated with surgery, which is sometimes recommended as an effective treatment for both conditions. Guidelines for Living With Diabetes also discuss the issue of eye health, and the importance of seeing a weight loss management group and an optometrist regularly. It is also recommended that diabetic patients with any eye problem learn to care for their eyes themselves. This includes not sitting in the car if possible, following proper meal time nutrition practices, and taking regular eye exams.