Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment Care

All people with diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) are at risk of getting diabetic retinopathy. Once you get diabetic retinopathy, you may face the risk of losing your vision.

In this case, it is crucial for you to take some preventive measures to protect your eyes. These include :

1. You should have a dilated eye examination once a year to check the condition of your retina. This can help doctor to detect diabetic retinopathy before it has a chance to get worse.
2. You should take diabetes medications as directed.
3. You should use insulin as directed.
4. You should do exercise regularly to lower and help the body use blood sugar.
5. You should have blood-sugar levels testing regularly.
6. You should have urine testing regularly to check ketone levels.
7. You should check your cholesterol levels regularly.
8. You should follow a healthy eating plan and leading an active lifestyle in which can help to improve blood glucose control and regulate bodyweight.
9. You should take foods with a low Glycaemic Index (GI). These foods are recommended because they lead to a small glucose response. These foods include wholegrain bread, oats, certain high fibre breakfast cereals, pasta, barley, legumes, temperate fruits, starchy vegetables such as corn and sweet potato and milk products.
10. You should avoid excessive sugar intake from foods such as cakes, biscuits, chocolate and confectionery.
11. You should limit the intake of fat, particularly saturated fat. A diet high in saturated fat interferes with diabetes control, contributes to weight gain and affects blood fat levels, increasing the risk of heart disease and other diabetes complications.
12. You should also limit alcohol intake. Alcohol can interfere with diabetic control and can cause hypoglycaemia.
13. You should follow a diet plan with the help of a dietitian. See your dietitian regularly to assist with meal planning to ensure that nutritional requirements are being met.
14. You should quit smoking.
15. You should take some vitamins and minerals for the good health of your body. In this case, vitamin A, vitamin E and magnesium may help to prevent retinal problems. In addition, vitamin C may assist in maintaining the strength of blood capillaries and reduce elevated cholesterol levels, particularly in people with diabetes who smoke or have a history of smoking. In case of controlling blood glucose levels, Chromium is an essential mineral which can help in the management of normal blood glucose levels. This mineral can be found in brewer’s yeast.