Do you know what the leading cause of blindness is in Americans from ages 20 to 74? It is diabetes an illness that changes the way the body breaks down and absorbs sugars. These changes, doctors feel, take away oxygen that the retina needs. (The retina is the back layer of the eye and it is where sharp images are formed.) When this happens’ some small blood vessels may become weak and break, vision problems occur when this blood leaks into the areas around the retina. Diabetes can also cause glaucoma and cataracts. Glaucoma is a disease that causes a lot of pressure in the eye because too much fluid builds up. Cataracts, on the other hand, cloud the lens of the eye and this makes a person feel like he or she is looking through a grimy window.
They include: heart and blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, nerves, gums and teeth. In regards to the heart and blood vessels, there are approximately 65% of death that is caused by diabetes due to major complication of heart disease and stroke. In the peripheral artery diseases diabetes also plays a major role in the cause of poor blood flow in the legs and feet. Many studies show that controlling diabetes can prevent or stop the progression of heart and blood vessel disease. Blood vessel damage or nerve damage may also lead to foot problems that can lead to amputations. More than 60% of leg and foot amputations not related to an injury are due to diabetes. Another complication of diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. There has been a number of eye problems that if not addressed can lead to eye blindness which include: glaucoma,cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Ninety percent of diabetic-related blindness as study shown could be prevented if there would be regular eye exams and timely treatment of diabetes-related eye problems. Furthermore, kidney failure is also one leading cause of further complication that resulted from uncontrolled diabetes in the U.S. It is said that drugs that help lower blood pressure can help the chance to developing kidney failure by 33%. Also diabetes on nerves can lead to loss of sensation or pain and burning of the feet because nerves are harmed due to over time high blood sugar levels. It can also
Problems like cataracts, glaucoma, and damage to the retina (retinopathy) are issues for many people with diabetes. You must regularly visit an eye doctor, such an optometrist or ophthalmologist, in order to check for these potentially serious conditions.
The only way to know if a person has glaucoma is for them to be tested by a eye care professional. A reason why people should see a eye Doctor every one to two years. There are five different kinds of tests to help diagnose glaucoma. It is important to diagnose glaucoma right that is why there are many tests. These tests are a tonometry, ophthalmoscopy, perimetry, gonioscopy, or pachymetry test.
Signs/Symptoms: The way a person would know if they have Glaucoma, an eye disease that can make someone go blind, is by looking for the signs or symptoms. Symptoms of Open Angle Glaucoma are patchy blindness spots in the peripheral or central vision and “tunnel” vision in both eyes. The symptoms for Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma are, as said by Glaucoma - Symptoms and Causes by The Mayo Clinic “eye pain, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, “halos” around lights - which may be rainbow,” red eyes, and sudden sight loss. The symptoms of this kind of Glaucoma have no typical early warning signs. This is the reason people don’t notice it until it is too late, and they end up losing their vision if it is not treated.
Recently there has been a new study about a secretion from stem cells that is very eye opening! Stem cells are used in lots of studies today due to their ability to transform into any type of cell, but they can also cause complications like rejection. Stem cells contain small membrane bound packages that are known as exosomes. They are filled with proteins and can be used to signal other cells to begin producing certain proteins. Researchers at the National Eye Institute studied the roles that exosomes played on retina ganglion cells. These cells help send information from the eyes to the brain. Glaucoma causes these cells to die and leads to the loss of
Vision Problems: High glucose levels can damage your eyes’ blood vessels, raising your risk of diabetic retinopathy and blindness. Fortunately, the symptoms can be reserved when treated early on.
This article discussed the eye disease, Glaucoma. There are two types of Glaucoma; open-angle and closed-angle. Open-angle Glaucoma there are no visual abnormalities, but there is a mechanical obstruction interfering with the drainage pathway. While closed-angle Glaucoma is a physical obstruction. Signs and symptoms of Glaucoma are; headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, halo vision, and eye pain. Glaucoma progresses slowly and is asymptomatic at first. As the disease progresses symptoms appear, if symptoms are present then there is already irreversible damage to the eye. There is no cure for Glaucoma, treatment is aimed at slowing the progression of the disease. Diagnostic tests done to detect Glaucoma are; measuring IOP, evaluation of
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by increased intraocular pressure, resulting in atrophy of the optic nerve. (Venes, D. 2013) This disease is known to gradually cause the loss of peripheral vision which can eventually lead to total blindness. Glaucoma is the third most prevalent cause of visual impairment and blindness in the U.S, although the incidence of blindness is decreasing due to early detection and treatment. (Venes, D. 2013) Glaucoma comes in two major categories: closed-angle glaucoma, and open-angle glaucoma. (Holistic Nursing Practice, Vol. 24)
Glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye diseases that causes damage to the optic nerve fibers and can lead to progressive vision loss or blindness if left untreated. The damage is primarily a result of the buildup of intraocular pressure, which results when an imbalance occurs in the production and drainage of aqueous humour. In the human eye the ciliary body constantly creates aqueous humour to provide sustenance for surrounding tissues. To maintain a healthy balance as new fluid is produced, older fluid must leave the eye through the meshwork drainage system along the periphery of the iris. If too much aqueous humour is produced or the drainage system is not working properly, intraocular pressure builds, causing optic nerve fibre damage and deterioration of vision.
Diabetic Retinopathy, or damage to the blood vessels of the retina, potentially leading to blindness
The pathogenesis of glaucoma is not fully understood, however, the level of intraocular pressure is being related with the retinal ganglion cell death. The balance between the secretion of aqueous humor by the ciliary body and its drainage through 2 independent pathways: i. the trabecular meshwork; and ii. uveoscleral outflow pathway, determines the intraocular pressure. In patients with open angle glaucoma, there is increased resistance to aqueous outflow through the trabecular meshwork. In contrast, the access to the drainage pathways is obstructed typically by the iris in patients with angle closure
If diabetes is unmanaged, it is like your eyes are blindfolded all the time. Diabetic retinopathy affects blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissues called the retina that lines the back of the eye (www.Diabetes.org). The most common cause of vision loss is diabetic retinopathy. People with diabetes do have a higher risk of blindness because of diabetic retinopathy.You must pass a vision screening test before you can even qualify to get your license. Going onto the road without the correct the ability to see is very significant to the safety of others. How can you prevent eye damage? Keeping your diabetes managed is the key to not having vision problems. Check your sugars, take your insulin, and be
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world [1] . Cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision [2]. Cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other [2] .Cataracts generally form very slowly. Signs and symptoms of a cataract may include:
Cataractogenesis, or opacification of the ocular lens of the eyes (cataracts), is a multifactorial process that may be initiated by oxidative damage from oxygen radicals [1]. Cataracts are the world's leading cause of blindness, accounting for approximately 42% of all cases of blindness in all nations [1,2]. In most cases, cataracts are age-related [3,4]; in other cases, it may be related to eye trauma, long-term diabetes, corticosteroid medications or radiation treatments [5]. Although surgery is often effective in restoring vision [6], this intervention still remains a major healthcare cost in Europe and other Western countries [7].
Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that cause blindness by hurting the optic nerve, which is the large nerve that is responsible for vision. In glaucoma, the optic nerve damage is related to a change in the fluid pressure that circulates around the eyeball. In many cases, Glaucoma occurs when the eye's fluid pressure is high, but it can also occur when the pressure is measured as normal.