Diabetes Type 2
People with type 2 diabetes can experience long term complications including eye problems (retinopathy), damage to the nerves (neuropathy), kidney disease (nephropathy) and heart problems (cardiovascular disease). Several people we talked to wanted to know whether these complications were inevitable. Complications are not inevitable but the ability to avoid them may be beyond the person's control depending on the amount of genetics that may be involved. Whether someone gets complications may be partly due to their blood glucose control and how long they've had diabetes, but there are also genetic factors which we don't know much about. Eyes People with Type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing retinopathy, where the blood vessels in the retina of the eye can become blocked, leaky or grow haphazardly and eyesight is affected. Some people we talked to described instances of 'bleeding in the back of their eyes' and how, as a result, they had lost some vision, either for a short time or permanently. Medication and improving blood glucose control had helped to improve vision for some people, but losing sight, even for a short time was said to be very alarming. Yearly retinopathy screening can monitor changes to the eyes and if blood glucose, blood pressure and blood fat levels are kept under control the risk of retinopathy is reduced. Some people's eye problems were first spotted at a routine eye test. Retinopathy can be treated by laser which is very successful if it is caught early. However, laser therapy cannot restore any vision which has already been lost. Feet/Neuropathy People with type 2 diabetes can develop neuropathy (damage to the nerves). The most common form is peripheral neuropathy which affects the nerves in the feet, legs and sometimes hands leading to loss o Continue reading >>
Long-term Complications Of Diabetes
en espaolComplicaciones a largo plazo de la diabetes Many of the complications of diabetes don't show up until after many years even decades of having the disease. They usually develop silently and gradually over time, so even if people with diabetes aren't having any signs of complications, they may still eventually develop them. Talking or thinking about long-term complications can be scary. And it can be hard for anyone to make changes in how they live today to decrease the risk of health problems that may not show up for decades. But it's important to start now. Managing your diabetes by eating right, getting regular exercise, and taking your medicine as directed by your diabetes health care team is the best way to reduce the risk of developing complications. You may have wondered why doctors talk so much about keeping blood sugar levels in a healthy range. Here's why: Long-term diabetes problems or complications are often linked to higher blood sugar levels over a long period of time. These complications can affect several different parts of the body. But blood sugar control isn't the only thing that determines a person's risk for diabetes complications. Other factors, like genes, can also play a role. Parts of the body that can be most affected by diabetes complications are the: People with diabetes have a greater risk of developing eye problems, including: Cataracts: A cataract is a thickening and clouding of the lens of the eye. The lens is the part of the eye that helps you focus on what you see. Cataracts can make a person's vision blurry or make it hard to see at night. Doctors think that people with diabetes are more likely to develop cataracts if they have high blood sugar levels over a long period of time. If cataracts get in the way of seeing properly, a Continue reading >>
Diabetic Retinopathy
On this page: Diabetes and diabetic retinopathy • DR symptoms • Types of diabetic eye disease • Who gets diabetic retinopathy? • Minorities and diabetic eye disease • When is DR a disability? • Eye exam assistance program • Prevention • Diabetic retinopathy videos Diabetic retinopathy — vision-threatening damage to the retina of the eye caused by diabetes — is the leading cause of blindness among working-age Americans. The good news: Diabetic retinopathy often can be prevented with early detection, proper management of your diabetes and routine eye exams performed by your optometrist or ophthalmologist. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the United States has the highest rate of diabetes among 38 developed nations, with approximately 30 million Americans — roughly 11 percent of the U.S. population between the ages of 20 and 79 — having the disease. About 90 percent of Americans with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which develops when the the body fails to produce enough insulin — a hormone secreted by the pancreas that enables dietary sugar to enter the cells of the body — or the body becomes resistant to insulin. This causes glucose (sugar) levels in the bloodstream to rise and can eventually damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity, an unhealthful diet and physical inactivity. Unfortunately, the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes has increased significantly in the United States over the past 30 years. According to data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in December 2015, there were 1.4 million new cases of diabetes reported in the U.S. in 2014. Though this annual number is d Continue reading >>
Avoiding Complications Of Diabetes
It can take work to get your diabetes under control, but the results are worth it. If you don't make the effort to get a handle on it, you could set yourself up for a host of complications. Diabetes can take a toll on nearly every organ in your body, including the: Heart and blood vessels Eyes Kidneys Nerves Gastrointestinal tract Gums and teeth Heart and Blood Vessels Heart disease and blood vessel disease are common problems for many people who don’t have their diabetes under control. You're at least twice as likely to have heart problems and strokes as people who don’t have the condition. Blood vessel damage or nerve damage may also cause foot problems that, in rare cases, can lead to amputations. People with diabetes are ten times likelier to have their toes and feet removed than those without the disease. Symptoms: You might not notice warning signs until you have a heart attack or stroke. Problems with large blood vessels in your legs can cause leg cramps, changes in skin color, and less sensation. The good news: Many studies show that controlling your diabetes can help you avoid these problems, or stop them from getting worse if you have them. Diabetes is the leading cause of new vision loss among adults ages 20 to 74 in the U.S. It can lead to eye problems, some of which can cause blindness if not treated: Glaucoma Cataracts Diabetic retinopathy, which involves the small blood vessels in your eyes Symptoms: Vision problems or sudden vision loss. The good news: Studies show that regular eye exams and timely treatment of these kinds of problems could prevent up to 90% of diabetes-related blindness. *CGM-based treatment requires fingersticks for calibration, if patient is taking acetaminophen, or if symptoms/expectations do not match CGM readings, and if not pe Continue reading >>
Diabetic Eye Disease
What is diabetic eye disease? Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye problems that can affect people with diabetes. These conditions include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma. Over time, diabetes can cause damage to your eyes that can lead to poor vision or even blindness. But you can take steps to prevent diabetic eye disease, or keep it from getting worse, by taking care of your diabetes. The best ways to manage your diabetes and keep your eyes healthy are to Often, there are no warning signs of diabetic eye disease or vision loss when damage first develops. A full, dilated eye exam helps your doctor find and treat eye problems early—often before much vision loss can occur. How does diabetes affect my eyes? Diabetes affects your eyes when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. In the short term, you are not likely to have vision loss from high blood glucose. People sometimes have blurry vision for a few days or weeks when they’re changing their diabetes care plan or medicines. High glucose can change fluid levels or cause swelling in the tissues of your eyes that help you to focus, causing blurred vision. This type of blurry vision is temporary and goes away when your glucose level gets closer to normal. If your blood glucose stays high over time, it can damage the tiny blood vessels in the back of your eyes. This damage can begin during prediabetes, when blood glucose is higher than normal, but not high enough for you to be diagnosed with diabetes. Damaged blood vessels may leak fluid and cause swelling. New, weak blood vessels may also begin to grow. These blood vessels can bleed into the middle part of the eye, lead to scarring, or cause dangerously high pressure inside your eye. Most serious diabetic eye d Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Your Eyes, Heart, Nerves, Feet, And Kidneys
Diabetes is a serious disease that can affect your eyes, heart, nerves, feet and kidneys. Understanding how diabetes affects your body is important. It can help you follow your treatment plan and stay as healthy as possible. If your diabetes is not well controlled, the sugar level in your blood goes up. This is called “hyperglycemia” (high blood sugar). High blood sugar can cause damage to very small blood vessels in your body. Imagine what happens to sugar when it is left unwrapped overnight. It gets sticky. Now imagine how sugar “sticks” to your small blood vessels and makes it hard for blood to get to your organs. Damage to blood vessels occurs most often in the eyes, heart, nerves, feet, and kidneys. Let’s look at how this damage happens. Eyes. Having high levels of sugar in your blood for a long time can harm the tiny blood vessels in your eyes. This can result in vision problems or blindness. Heart. High blood sugar may also harm larger blood vessels in your body that supply oxygen to your heart and brain. Fat can build up in the blood vessels as well. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Nerves. Nerves carry important messages between your brain and other parts of your body. Having high levels of sugar in your blood for many years can damage the blood vessels that bring oxygen to some nerves. Damaged nerves may stop sending pain signals. Feet. Diabetes can harm your feet in two ways. First, it can damage your body’s nerves. Nerve damage stops you from feeling pain or other problems in your feet. Another way that diabetes can cause damage to your feet is from poor blood circulation. Poor blood flow makes it hard for a sore or infection to heal. If sores don’t heal and get infected, it can lead to amputation. Kidneys. Think of your kidneys like Continue reading >>
Diabetic Kidney Disease
What is diabetic kidney disease? Diabetic kidney disease is a type of kidney disease caused by diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease. About 1 out of 4 adults with diabetes has kidney disease.1 The main job of the kidneys is to filter wastes and extra water out of your blood to make urine. Your kidneys also help control blood pressure and make hormones that your body needs to stay healthy. When your kidneys are damaged, they can’t filter blood like they should, which can cause wastes to build up in your body. Kidney damage can also cause other health problems. Kidney damage caused by diabetes usually occurs slowly, over many years. You can take steps to protect your kidneys and to prevent or delay kidney damage. What are other names for diabetic kidney disease? Diabetic kidney disease is also called DKD, chronic kidney disease, CKD, kidney disease of diabetes, or diabetic nephropathy. How does diabetes cause kidney disease? High blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can damage the blood vessels in your kidneys. When the blood vessels are damaged, they don’t work as well. Many people with diabetes also develop high blood pressure, which can also damage your kidneys. Learn more about high blood pressure and kidney disease. What increases my chances of developing diabetic kidney disease? Having diabetes for a longer time increases the chances that you will have kidney damage. If you have diabetes, you are more likely to develop kidney disease if your blood glucose is too high blood pressure is too high African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanics/Latinos develop diabetes, kidney disease, and kidney failure at a higher rate than Caucasians. You are also more likely to develop kidney disease if you have diabetes and smoke don’t follow your di Continue reading >>
Eyes And Chronic Kidney Disease
Diabetes and high blood pressure aren’t only the leading causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). They’re also the leading causes of eye disease and loss of vision. If your renal disease is a result of either condition your vision may be at risk. Some of the most common eye problems that occur in CKD patients are retinopathy, cataracts and glaucoma. Retinopathy Retinopathy is a condition where the small blood vessels in the eyes become damaged as a result of hypertension or diabetes. When the damage is caused by diabetes, it is called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes elevates the blood glucose levels in the bloodstream which can damage the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys, fingers feet and eyes. High blood pressure places strain on the walls of the blood vessels, weakening them to the point where they can break or burst. Like CKD, both types of retinopathy occur over time and symptoms are often not felt until the damage is done. Sometimes damaged vessels can become scar tissue and turn into detached retina, a condition that causes severe loss of sight or blindness. It should be treated by a medical professional right away. Cataracts Cataracts occur when the lens of your eye becomes cloudy. The lens of the eye is normally clear. Its purpose is to focus the light coming in from the pupil to the retina at the back of the eye. A cataract scatters the incoming light and can make everything look blurry. Cataracts develop as we age. But patients with diabetes are at a higher risk for cataracts. Diabetics can develop what is known as “sugar cataracts,” a cataract that appears suddenly and grows to such a point that the entire lens is clouded. High levels of glucose react with proteins found in the eye and form a byproduct that settles on the lens. Glaucoma Glaucoma affect Continue reading >>
How Does Diabetes Affect Your Kidneys?
DEAR DOCTOR K: I have Type 2 diabetes. My doctor said that kidney disease is a potential long-term complication of diabetes. What’s the connection between the two? DEAR READER: People with diabetes have elevated levels of blood sugar. Left untreated or poorly treated, diabetes can cause serious complications, such as eye, nerve and kidney damage. An important cause of all these complications is high blood sugar levels over many years. Other factors, such as high blood pressure, also contribute. But the long-term consequences of diabetes are not inevitable. They can be prevented through tight blood sugar control. High levels of blood sugar injure the walls of small blood vessels. They thicken and leak. The vessels may eventually clog, blocking blood flow to vital organs. You asked about kidney disease. The main function of the kidneys is to filter out toxic substances and waste matter from blood so they get flushed out of the body when we pass urine. And they keep important proteins and other useful substances inside the body. They also regulate fluid, salt and other minerals, so that just the right amounts of each remain in the body. The filtering work is done by glomeruli, delicate networks of tiny blood vessels. When the blood vessels that form the glomeruli — the filters — thicken, they begin to fail at their job. Protein leaks into the urine. Fluid, salt and some other minerals build up in the body. In addition, the damaged glomeruli stop filtering out wastes and toxins reliably. These wastes and toxins build up in the bloodstream, causing damage to tissues and organs throughout the body. (See illustration below.) The effects of diabetes on the kidneys The best way to avoid diabetes complications is to keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possibl Continue reading >>
Why Does Diabetes Attack Primarily The Eyes, Heart, And Kidney Organs?
The people who have diabetes are unable to produce insulin. Due to which their blood lacks insulin. Insulin is produced in an organ called the pancreas. Insulin is important to allow glucose (blood sugar) to enter the body's cells. In other words, the insulin opens the door to leave the sugar in the blood to enter most cells of the body. Blood sugar is a food for the body's cells. If insulin is low or absent in the blood, then the cells won’t get sugar in the blood they need. If the blood sugar cannot enter the body's cells then it accumulates in the bloodstream and enumeration of sugar increases on blood tests that we do. Furthermore, with the increase of blood sugar and cannot enter the cells of the body that has the effect of drawing water from the cells and narrows them until making them even less healthy. The nerves of the body are affected a little 'different. Nerve cells allow blood sugar in without insulin, but blood sugar without insulin is not used properly by the nerve cell and sugar builds up in the cell. Over time this can damage nerve cells and causes nerve cells to die. This results in numbness and tingling in the feet and sometimes hands. The blood vessels are also made up of cells. As sugar builds up in these cells swells them and this causes a narrowing of blood vessels. This causes a decrease in circulation to the feet, kidneys and eyes. This is why people with diabetes often lose their legs, their eyesight and even their kidney function. Continue reading >>
Complications
Diabetic kidney disease In diabetic kidney disease or diabetic nephropathy, cells and blood vessels in the kidneys are damaged, affecting the organs’ ability to filter out waste. Waste builds up in your blood instead of being excreted. In some cases this can lead to kidney failure. When the kidneys fail, a person has to have his or her blood filtered through a machine (a treatment called dialysis) several times a week, or has to get a kidney transplant. There’s a lot you can do to prevent kidney problems. A recent study shows that controlling your blood glucose can prevent or delay the onset of kidney disease. Keeping your blood pressure under control is also important. Diabetic kidney disease happens slowly and silently, so you might not feel that anything is wrong until severe problems have developed. Therefore, it is important to get your blood and urine checked for kidney problems each year. Your doctor can learn how well your kidneys are working by testing every year for microalbumin (a protein) in the urine. Microalbumin in the urine is an early sign of diabetic kidney disease. Your doctor can also do a yearly blood test to measure your kidney function. To learn more about kidney fuction and diabetic kidney disease click on the following link: About Your Kidneys.docx Diabetic Eye Disease, or Retinopathy Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of diabetes. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness. Diabetic retinopathy—damage to the blood vessels in the retina. Cataract—clouding of the eye’s lens. Cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes. Glaucoma—increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision. A person with diab Continue reading >>
Diabetic Eye Disease
A A A Do I need to follow-up with my doctor after being diagnosed with diabetic eye disease? Diabetes is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide, and, in the United States, it is the most common cause of blindness in people younger than 65 years of age. Diabetic eye disease also encompasses a wide range of other eye problems, for example, Diabetes may cause a reversible, temporary blurring of the vision, or it can cause a severe, permanent loss of vision. Some people may not even realize they have had diabetes for several years until they begin to experience problems with their eyes or vision. Diabetes also may result in heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and circulatory abnormalities of the legs. The American Diabetes Association estimates that 29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 8.1 million people additional people went undiagnosed. (This population is unaware that they have diabetes.) In the United States 1.2 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed every year. In the US in 2012, the total annual cost of diagnosed diabetes was 2.45 billion. Eighty-six million people in the US have prediabetes, and 9 out of every 10 don't know they have it. Of the 86 million people with prediabetes, without lifestyle changes 15% to 30% of them will develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years. Lifestyle management has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and prediabetes by at least two-thirds. It can also slow or halt the progression of prediabetes to diabetes. People can try to avoid the problems associated with diabetes, including those that affect the eyes, by taking appropriate care of themselves by the following: Maintain a normal level of weight Watch your diet, especially limiting unhealthy types of fats and Continue reading >>
Long-term Complications Of Diabetes
Helping kids with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels is a key part of preventing long-term diabetes problems. Here's why. What Long-Term Complications Can Diabetes Cause? Long-term complications related to diabetes are often linked to having high blood sugar levels over a long period of time. But blood sugar control isn't the only thing that determines someone's risk for complications. Things like genetics also can play a role. Many diabetes complications don't appear until after many years of having the disease. They usually develop silently and slowly over time. So even if kids show no symptoms, they still might eventually have problems. Managing diabetes with good nutrition, regular exercise, and medicine can help protect kids from these problems. The major organs and body systems involved in diabetes complications are the: People with diabetes have a greater risk for eye problems, including: Cataracts: A cataract is a thickening and clouding of the lens of the eye. The lens is the part of the eye that helps you focus on what you see. People with diabetes are more likely to develop cataracts. Cataracts can make vision blurry or impair night vision. Cataracts that affect vision can be surgically removed. Retinopathy: Diabetic retinopathy involves changes in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. These are due to damage to, or abnormal growth of, the small blood vessels in the retina, which are thought to be related to high blood sugar levels over time. Someone with retinopathy may not have vision problems at first, but if the condition becomes severe, it can cause blindness. Retinopathy is more likely to become a problem in people with diabetes who also have high blood pressure or use tobacco. Kids with diabetes usually go for annual exa Continue reading >>
Eye Problems And Diabetes
Eye problems and diabetes introduction If you have diabetes, regular visits to your ophthalmologist for eye exams are important to avoid eye problems. High blood sugar (glucose) increases the risk of diabetes eye problems. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults age 20 to 74. If you have eye problems and diabetes, don't buy a new pair of glasses as soon as you notice you have blurred vision. It could just be a temporary eye problem that develops rapidly with diabetes and is caused by high blood sugar levels. High blood sugar in diabetes causes the lens of the eye to swell, which changes your ability to see. To correct this kind of eye problem, you need to get your blood sugar back into the target range (90-130 milligrams per deciliter or mg/dL before meals, and less than 180 mg/dL one to two hours after a meal). It may take as long as three months after your blood sugar is well controlled for your vision to fully get back to normal. Blurred vision can also be a symptom of more serious eye problem with diabetes. The three major eye problems that people with diabetes may develop and should be aware of are cataracts, glaucoma, and retinopathy. A cataract is a clouding or fogging of the normally clear lens of the eye. The lens is what allows us to see and focus on an image just like a camera. Although anyone can get cataracts, people with diabetes get these eye problems at an earlier age than most and the condition progresses more rapidly than in people without diabetes. If you have a cataract, there is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye that results in the inability to focus light, and your vision is impaired. Symptoms of this eye problem in diabetes include blurred or glared vision. During cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed or cleaned ou Continue reading >>
diabetes Eye Complications And Prevention
People with diabetes are at risk of diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy), which can cause blindness. Doctors from the Surgical Retina Department, Singapore National Eye Centre, share some important prevention tips. Diabetes, when poorly-controlled, results in multiple complications. Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney failure, blindness, limb amputation, heart attack and stroke. Diabetes complications can be broadly divided into those affecting the small blood vessels (microvascular) and those affecting the large blood vessels (macrovascular). Microvascular (Complications of small blood vessels) Macrovascular (Complications of large blood vessels) Eye (Blindness) Heart (Heart Attacks) Kidney (Kidney Failure) Brain (Strokes) Nerve (Amputations) Limbs (Amputations) How diabetes can affect your eyes Diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) results from reduced blood flow to the light-sensing nerve layer of the eye (retina). Over time, there is formation of fragile and leaky new blood vessels and nerve layer swelling. These changes can progress to blindness if not identified early and treated, say doctors at the Surgical Retina Department, Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), a member of the SingHealth group. Diabetes affects the peripheral and central retina in different ways: Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, also known as background diabetic retinopathy, is the early stage of diabetic retinopathy and occurs when the small retinal blood vessels become affected and start to leak and bleed. At this stage, vision is usually not affected. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is associated with a high risk of permanent loss of vision. There is growth of abnormal new blood vessels in the retina. These abnormal new vessels can rupture, causing significant Continue reading >>
