Eye problems are common in people with diabetes, but managing your blood sugar and regular eye exams can help prevent vision loss or may stop it from getting worse. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that most commonly affects people with diabetes. It occurs when high blood sugar damages blood vessels in the retina. This can cause them to swell and leak, resulting in blurry vision.
The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to develop diabetic retinopathy. Your risk also increases if you have high blood sugar, blood pressure or cholesterol, smoke, or are Black, Hispanic or Native American.
During an eye exam, your doctor will check your vision and look at the inside of your eyes. A dye may be used to help detect leaky blood vessels. Tell your eye doctor if you notice changes in your vision, especially if they happen suddenly. Changes may include blurring, spots, flashes, blind spots, distortion and difficulty reading. The earlier eye problems are found and treated, the better for your eyesight.
Protect your vision with these steps:
At Elderplan, we value the health and wellness of our members. Knowing the basics about specific health conditions may help you be more aware of the risk factors to look for. As an Elderplan member, many screenings, like eye exams, may be covered at no cost to you.
If you are an Elderplan Member and need help, contact Member Services. We can assist in scheduling your screening or recommend other care options through one of our programs.
If you are not a Member, please explore our health plan options to see if there is a plan that may suit your needs.
Matatizo ya macho ni ya kawaida kwa watu wenye kisukari, lakini kudhibiti sukari yako ya damu na uchunguzi wa macho mara kwa mara inaweza kusaidia kuzuia upotezaji wa kuona au inaweza kuzuia kuwa mbaya zaidi. Ugonjwa wa retinopathy ya kisukari ni hali ambayo kwa kawaida huathiri watu wenye kisukari. Hali hiyo hutokea wakati sukari ya juu ya damu inapoharibu mishipa ya damu katika retina. Hilo laweza kusababisha vidonda hivyo kuvimba na kuvuja, na kusababisha maono yasiyo wazi. Kadiri ugonjwa wa kisukari unavyodumu, ndivyo uwezekano wa kupatwa na ugonjwa wa retinopathy unavyoongezeka. Hatari ya ugonjwa huu huongezeka ikiwa una sukari ya juu ya damu, shinikizo la damu au cholesterol, unywa sigara, au ni mweusi, Hispanic au asili ya Amerika. Wakati wa uchunguzi wa macho, daktari wako atachunguza maono yako na kuangalia ndani ya macho yako. Rangi yaweza kutumiwa kusaidia kugundua mishipa ya damu inayotiririka. Mwambie daktari wako wa macho kama unaona mabadiliko katika maono yako, hasa kama yanatokea ghafla. Mabadiliko yanaweza kujumuisha blurring, spots, flashes, blind spots, distortion na ugumu wa kusoma. Kadiri matatizo ya macho yanavyoonekana na kutibiwa mapema, ndivyo unavyoweza kuona vizuri zaidi. Kuhifadhi maono yako na hatua hizi: Katika Elderplan, tunathamini afya na ustawi wa wanachama wetu. Kujua mambo ya msingi kuhusu hali fulani za afya kunaweza kukusaidia kujua mambo ya hatari unayopaswa kuangalia. Kama mwanachama wa Elderplan, uchunguzi mwingi, kama vile uchunguzi wa macho, unaweza kufunikwa bila gharama kwako. Kama wewe ni mwanachama Elderplan na haja ya msaada, wasiliana Huduma ya Mwanachama. Tunaweza kukusaidia kupanga ratiba ya uchunguzi wako au kupendekeza chaguzi zingine za utunzaji kupitia moja ya programu zetu. Kama wewe si mwanachama, tafadhali kuchunguza chaguzi zetu mpango wa afya kuona kama kuna mpango ambayo inaweza kukidhi mahitaji yako.