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Control your blood sugar. Tight control of blood sugar slows the onset and
progression of retinopathy and lessens the need for
surgery. Tight control means keeping your blood sugar
levels as close to normal as possible. Ideally, this
means levels between 90 and 130
milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) before meals and
less than 180 mg/dL two hours
after starting a meal — with a
glycosylated hemoglobin level
less than 6 percent.
A glycosylated hemoglobin test, also called a glycated hemoglobin test, reflects
how good was the diabetes under control for the
last two to
three month period. Your doctor
uses it to determine how well you're managing your blood
sugar.
Tight
control isn't possible for everyone, including some
older adults, young children and people with
cardiovascular disease. Talk to your doctor, your
endocrinologist or diabetes educator about the best
blood sugar control goals and management plan for you. A
management plan frequently involves taking insulin or
other medications, monitoring blood sugar levels,
following a healthy eating plan, getting regular
exercise and maintaining a healthy weight. It may take
some time before the benefits of lowering your blood
sugar are realized. And remember that better control
lowers but doesn't eliminate your risk of developing
retinopathy.
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Keep an eye on vision
changes. In addition to getting an
annual eye exam, be alert to any sudden changes in your
vision. Have your eyes checked promptly if you
experience vision changes that last more than a few days
or aren't associated with a change in blood sugar, or if
your vision becomes blurry, spotty or hazy.
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Keep your blood pressure down. Tight blood pressure control slows
the progression of diabetic retinopathy. To reduce your
blood pressure, you may need to make lifestyle changes
and take medications.
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Control your cholesterol.
Total blood cholesterol levels above
240 mg/dL are associated
with a significantly increased risk of vision loss. As
with high blood pressure, treatments to improve your
blood cholesterol may include lifestyle changes and
medications.
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Stop smoking.
Smoking is especially bad for people with diabetes
because it promotes the closure of blood vessels.
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Control stress. Stress can cause swings in blood sugar levels in
people with diabetes. Stress may affect your ability to
control your blood sugar. For example, you may be too
busy to exercise or eat a good meal. Stress hormones
also can directly affect your blood sugar levels,
causing them to rise or fall. Don't hesitate to seek
help from a counselor, therapist or support group to
control your stress. Relaxation techniques such as
meditation also may be helpful.
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