Understanding Medical Restrictions

If your doctor told you at your last appointment that you have type 2 diabetes, your days are probably filled with trying to cope with the diagnosis, figure out what foods you can eat, learn how to take the medicine, and monitor your sugar. During this learning period, you should not neglect to make sure that your eyes are taken care of. 

Because high blood sugar can wreak havoc on the blood vessels and nerves in your eyes, you need to see a professional for an initial appointment to have them checked out.

Below are a couple of reasons why you need to see an ophthalmology clinic after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

1. They Can Gather Baseline Pressure Readings Within Your Eyes to Monitor for Glaucoma

One reason why you need to make an initial visit to have your eyes checked after your diabetes diagnosis is that the ophthalmologist will take a baseline reading of the pressure within your eyes. For future visits, they can use this number to monitor for glaucoma, which is a common eye disorder when someone has high blood sugar.

With glaucoma, the excess glucose in the blood vessels can cause an increase in the internal pressure of the eyeballs, causing it to push against both the vessels and the nerves. If this pressure is monitored, the eye professional can take proactive steps to treat the condition before it has a chance to damage your eyesight or cause blindness.

2. They Can Peer Through Your Pupils after Dilating Them to Check the Health of the Optic Nerve

Another reason you should have your eyes checked as soon as possible after your diagnosis is that they will check the health of your optic nerves. After dilating your pupils, the eye doctor will peer through them and assess their condition.

It is important to have the health of the optic nerves monitored because diabetes can cause them to atrophy and degrade. If found early, the process can be slowed down with medication and other treatments.

When you are first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you should have your eyes checked out as soon as possible. At your appointment, they will test the pressure inside your eyeballs so that they can record baseline readings to monitor for changes that indicate glaucoma. They will also check for retinopathy or other optic nerve damage by dilating your pupils and taking a look inside your eyes. If you have yet to make an initial appointment, contact an ophthalmology office in your area to speak with a representative about setting one up.