A research study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 1989 showed that people with diabetes who maintained good control of their blood sugar levels within 10% of normal, experienced no eye damage during the course of the study. Unfortunately, this same study reported when blood sugars ran consistently higher than 50% of normal, 37% of those diabetics experienced eye problems.

People with diabetes, type 1 or type 2, are prone to three types of eye disease:

• retinopathy
• cataracts, and
• glaucoma

In the short term, very high blood sugar levels can cause blurred vision which is temporary. When your blood sugars return to a lower level, the blurred vision leaves.

Blindness was once a common complication of diabetes but regular visits to eye specialists, (at least once a year), and good medical treatment have made it much less common. Now blindness affects less than 2% of people with diabetes.

Between 10 and 20% of older people with type 2 diabetes have some problems with their eyes; this is natural as eyes weaken with age. The majority of people with diabetes will have some changes to the blood vessels in their eyes after having diabetes for a period of roughly twenty five years.

Laser treatment by an ophthalmologist controls many eye problems but this must be accompanied by good blood sugar control to be really successful. But the best non-surgical approach is to keep your blood sugars down… not just in the morning but after your meals too.

Retinopathy is the most serious form of eye complication. In diabetics the retina can get damaged from several tiny hemorrhages, scarring or leaking of tiny blood vessels. The better control you have over your blood sugars, the less likely you are to develop retinopathy. Magnesium deficiency is often associated with diabetic retinopathy… when taking magnesium supplements you need to take Vitamin B6 as well. B6 helps to transport magnesium into your cells.

Cataracts is cloudiness over the lens of your eye, or the lens loses its clarity. You may experience blurred or double vision, or notice a halo effect around lights. Diabetics tend to get cataracts earlier than non-diabetics and they progress faster. Cataract surgery has advanced dramatically in recent years… cataract surgery removes the lenses and replaces them with artificial ones.

Certain foods can protect your eyes: green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale and mustard greens. These are rich sources of certain antioxidants. Food rich in Vitamin C and E may also help.

Glaucoma. A kind of glaucoma called neovascular is linked with diabetes. New blood vessels grow on the iris, the colored part of your eye, and blocks the normal flow of eye fluid, raising the pressure inside your eye. The increased pressure damages the optic nerve, which carries pictures from the retina to the brain. There may be no symptoms until the optic nerve is damaged, or there may be nausea, vomiting, headache, and seeing halos around points of light.

High blood sugar levels and high blood pressure both increase your risk of developing glaucoma. If glaucoma is caught early, treatment with prescription eye drops is effective

At least once a year have your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist… this should include pupil dilation and glaucoma testing.

It is absolutely critical get treatment for type 2 diabetes. This is one of the fastest growing illnesses in the world. A diabetic cannot wait or they risk losing there life. What this illness has done in just the last few years is amazing. The rate of growth of this illness moved it from the number seven killer disease in the United States to number five in just 4 years. There is no time for the diabetic to delay if they are to save their life.

This is an illness that is exploding in Asia and Africa as well as the United States. Many are sadly losing the battle for their lives. The diabetic slowly can lose the use of their legs or organs. A recent study from John Hopskin University revealed that the type 2 diabetic can lose the functioning of their lungs. The disease can age the lungs and cause you to have difficulty in breathing. There is no organ of the body that is not potentially damaged by this disease. Treatment for type 2 diabetes can save you life.

Diet is usually the best line of defense for those with blood sugar problems. The right diet can literally save the life of the diabetic. The problem is that most diets for type 2 diabetes miss the healing factor. A typical type 2 diabetes diet has the person leaving out sugars or fats. These diets can do some good but it is not enough. There must be more healing in the diet than a typical diabetes diet. The problem is that none of these diets heal the pancreas which is suppose to make the insulin. Treatment for type 2 diabetes diets must heal the pancreas. This is why many never get a normal blood sugar level. The good news is that there is diabetes diet by a filmmaker that has been healing people in an amazing way. It is a diet that lower blood sugar and heals the pancreas which is the answer to the problem. If you are seeking treatment for type 2 diabetes do not wait take action very fast.

Juvenile diabetes is a serious disease and it has no known cure as of the moment. This means that children who are diagnosed with this disease are likely to be dependent on insulin shots for the rest of their lives. If your child has juvenile diabetes, it is best to involve your child in the treatment process as early as possible. Do not be overly protective with your kid. Remember that sooner or later, your kid will grow up and live his or her own life so make sure that you help him or her get ready for the future.

Teaching your child to live with juvenile diabetes may be quite challenging especially if your child is still young. The fight to survive juvenile diabetes can be quite taxing for you and your child. There will be times when gets really rough that you fell helpless and frustrated with the situation. When frustration sets in, take a break, breathe and count your blessings. Remember that there are a lot of people out there who are worst off than you are so you should be thankful that you and your child still have each other.

Teach Your Child To Administer Insulin Shots

Since your child has juvenile diabetes, he or she will need insulin shots for the rest of his or her life. As it is, you should train your child on how to administer insulin shots correctly. You can start doing this when your child reaches the age of 10 or as soon as he or she feels ready to take on the task. Before training your child to administer insulin shots, see to it that your child very comfortable with the idea of injecting needles into his or her skin. If your child is afraid of needles, it may take time before he or she will warm up to the idea of sticking needles on his or skin so be patient. Encourage your child observe you when you administer the shot. Once your child is comfortable watching you stick the needle into his or skin, ask your child if he or she wants to try doing it himself. If, he or she says yes, then you can begin your training.

Teach Your Child How To Check His Or Her Blood Sugar Level

Your child needs to know the danger signs of juvenile diabetes. As early as possible, teach your child how to check his or her blood sugar level. Buy him or a glucose monitoring kit and let him or her keep track of his or her blood sugar level.

Teach Your Child About Proper Diet And Nutrition

Proper diet and nutrition is very important especially for people who are suffering from juvenile diabetes. There are certain types of food that your child should never eat so make sure that your child is aware of this. Let your child know the value of proper nutrition so that he or she will understand better why he or she is not allowed to eat certain types of food. Once your child knows what types of foods are good for him or her, it will be easier for you to convince him or her to eat healthy foods.

As your child grows older, teach him or her how to plan and cook her meals. Teaching your child how to prepare his or her meals will help ensure that he or she will not live on fast foods when he or she grows up.

Let Your Child Exercise

If your child has juvenile diabetes, do not treat her like a sick person and keep her inside the house most of the time. Good food and plenty of exercise will help your child stay fit and healthy.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.