)
As a full-service home medical equipment provider, Medical Department Store helps people at all stages of diabetes. Every month is a great time to sit down and to talk about this disease and the damage in can do to your body and eyes.
Diabetes is growing in 
numbers more than ever before. Research shows that over 21 million people in the United States have diabetes and an estimated 6 million people have either pre-diabetes or have been not been diagnosed. Those who are not diagnosed are not receiving the right treatment, and many of those who have been diagnosed aren’t either; in the long run, they’re hurting themselves without realizing it.
When a person has diabetes, their body has trouble converting sugar from the foods they eat into energy. This can cause very high or very low insulin levels that can lead to damage of the organs and eyes.
Glaucoma is also more common in people with diabetes. People with diabetes are almost 50 percent more likely to develop glaucoma. Glaucoma is an eye disease that damages the optic nerve by causing an increase of internal eye pressure. Controlling blood sugar is key to preventing this eye disease.
Some eye issues are more common in people with diabetes. People with diabetes are more likely to developing cataracts. Cataracts are the clouding of the eye’s lens. These cataracts occur at younger ages for people with diabetes than the general population.
The macula is the part of the eye that is responsible for central, sharp vision. Macular edema and macular degeneration are common problems in people with diabetes. These eye diseases are due to the malfunctioning of blood vessels inside the middle region of the retina. Over time these disorders can lead to vision loss.
We’ll have more on diabetic eye health in our next blog. Medical Department Store wants you to be happy and healthy and to live life to the fullest. Ask us about our diabetic supplies for men and women and our blood glucose monitors.
Tags: Diabetes, Eyes, Health