Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Your Eyes
By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
The health of your eyes can tell you a lot more about your overall wellbeing than you may think. Eye issues are a possible complication of uncontrolled diabetes, sometimes popping up before a diagnosis is even made. Poor eye health may also occur in tandem with heart disease, with or without diabetes.
If you’re curious about the effects of diet-related diseases on eye health and how to prevent unwanted issues, keep reading. There’s so much you can do to keep your body in tip top shape and stop problems from manifesting in your eyes.
Diabetes and the Heart
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the sugar in your blood is too high. When you eat food containing carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into smaller units of sugar that are absorbed into the bloodstream. A hormone known as insulin is then released from the pancreas to move sugar from the blood into the cells to be used as energy or stored.
If you have diabetes, your body does not make enough (or any) insulin or does not respond to insulin in the right way. Type 2 diabetes, in particular, is defined by insulin resistance. This means the body’s cells are less sensitive to insulin, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels.
Over time, high blood sugar can lead to an assortment of complications. Sugar in the bloodstream puts pressure on small blood vessels, causing inflammation, narrowing, and the eventual buildup of fatty deposits. The accumulation of these deposits, also known as plaque, leads to a condition called atherosclerosis. When atherosclerosis occurs in the arteries of the heart, it results in heart disease.
Eye damage is one of the lesser known complications of heart disease. Clogged arteries can reduce blood flow to the eyes, resulting in retinal cell damage. Heart disease may be “silent” for many years and present without symptoms until a heart attack happens. As a result, eye damage can happen under the radar before an affected person even knows about their heart disease.
When they do occur, symptoms include chest pain that does not go away or shortness of breath. If you experience these issues, speak with your physician as soon as possible.
Diabetes and the Eyes
In the same way that uncontrolled blood sugar damages small blood vessels in arteries of the heart, it can significantly harm tiny vessels in the eyes. As a result, diabetes may lead to retinal damage, swelling in the part of the eye known as the macula, glaucoma, and cataracts. Eye damage may even start to appear before someone is officially diagnosed with diabetes.
The most common eye-related complication of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, occurring in one in three people with diabetes. When this condition is not identified or treated early, it can lead to blindness.
Some early warning signs of diabetic eye disease include blurry vision, frequent changes in eyesight, poor color vision, and floaters. See a doctor right away if you experience any of these issues.
Preventing Eye-Related Complications
While family history is a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease, there are several modifiable factors that you can address to decrease your chances of developing these issues. Eating a nutritious diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and engaging in regular physical activity are all important for preventing diseases and their complications, including eye problems.
Here are our top tips for pursuing a healthy lifestyle:
Plan meals with a balanced plate in mind. Eating nutritionally balanced meals or following a diabetic diet meal plan is key for good blood sugar control. Aim to include a source of protein and healthy fat, each taking up a quarter of the plate, alongside complex carbohydrates on the remaining half of the plate. Try chicken breasts, ground beef, eggs, beans, or tofu for protein, avocado or an olive oil dressing for fat, and plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains for carbs.
Avoid eating carbohydrates alone. Foods that are high in carbohydrates, especially refined carbs found in white bread, sodas, and desserts, lead to quick rises in blood sugar followed by energy crashes. That’s why pairing carbohydrate foods with protein and fat — and better yet, choosing healthier carbs with fiber in the first place —is important for slowing the increase in blood sugar.
Increase your activity, especially after eating. Regular physical activity provides so many benefits — for your mood, waistline, heart, blood sugar, and as a result, your eyes! You don’t need to run a marathon or hit the gym every day, but you should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two sessions of strength training per week. Brisk walking, biking, and gardening all count! A walk after eating may be especially beneficial for blood sugar control.
Ditch the soda. One of the best swaps you can make is replacing soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages with water. If plain water doesn’t cut it, mix it up with fresh fruit and herbs or try unsweetened sparkling water. Herbal tea is another great option to quench your thirst without consuming too much sugar. Aim for at least eight cups of water or other hydrating fluids per day, and increase your intake if you lose a lot of sweat or have increased thirst.
Eat at regular times. Routine is especially important when it comes to healthy blood sugar control and managing diabetes. Skipping meals may cause fluctuations in blood sugar and lead to unhealthy food choices. After all, the indulgent options are extra tempting when you’re ravenous! To keep your energy and blood sugar levels stable, eat meals around the same time every day and try to avoid going more than a few hours between them.
Reduce stress and get enough sleep. Although easier said than done, keeping stress levels under control and getting adequate shuteye are just as important as focusing on diet-related factors. Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and journaling exercises are some techniques that may help release stress and subsequently improve sleep. To boost your sleep hygiene even more, avoid screen time before bedtime, limit caffeine and alcohol, and keep your room at an appropriate temperature.
Final Thoughts
Not only are your eyes a “window to your soul,” they’re also a window to your overall health! Damage to your eyes from diabetes and heart disease may show up before you even have a diagnosis for these conditions. If left untreated, they can lead to serious complications and even blindness.
Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce your chances of developing diabetes and heart disease and their complications. Eating healthy meals, maintaining an appropriate weight, and staying active will help you keep blood sugar in a normal range and protect your eyes.
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