Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Can High Blood Sugar Cause Dry Eyes

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Treatment For Dry Mouth And Eyes

Causes of Eye Problems: High Blood Sugar & Insulin Dr.Berg

Treatment for dry mouth and dry eyes can be relieved with hydration, by drinking fluids or using eye drops. However, this really only helps when dry eyes and mouth are isolated problems. If they are symptoms of a bigger issue like Sjögrens syndrome treating the underlying condition is key, but symptom relief can still help.

Fourth Food To Avoid: Processed Foods

Any food that comes in a box, bag, or can, which has a mile long list of ingredients, that can sit unrefrigerated for days, is not good for you. If you have trouble pronouncing an ingredient, it is most likely not good for you.

Trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oils, became popular because they kept cakes, doughnuts, french fries, and cookies fresh longer and feel less greasy. But these artificial oils are just a processed vegetable oil that is solidified. These lead to an increase in cholesterol and inflammation. Common culprits that you have heard of are margarine and Crisco

Excitotoxins, such as MSG , corn protein, glutamate, gelatin, wheat protein, yeast extract, and autolyzed yeast, are used for flavoring and can cause all sorts of problems like asthma, autism, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, and diabetes. The common culprits to avoid that contain excitotoxins are frozen meals, canned soups, chips, crackers, sauces, dressings, candy, gum, soda, and CHILDRENs snack food and BABY food. Yikes!

What Is It Called When Your Eyes Have Trouble Focusing

When your eyes have trouble focusing, they often lose the sharpness of your eyesight. Objects may appear out of focus and hazy.

Blurred vision can affect both eyes. However, some people experience issues in one eye only.

Cloudy vision, in which objects appear milky and obscured, is very similar to blurry vision. However, cloudy vision is usually a symptom of certain conditions such as cataracts.

The main causes of a blurred field of vision are refractive errors, including astigmatism and presbyopia. However, vision health problems can also be a symptom of more severe issues, including potentially sight-threatening eye diseases. Blurry vision and cloudy vision can be symptoms of a severe eye condition, especially if they occur suddenly.

If you have blurry vision and you are unsure what is causing it, visit an optician or eye doctor for a comprehensive eye examination.

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When To See Your Doctor

If youre experiencing sudden blurred vision together with eye pain, you should go see your doctor and have your eye checked

If your vision has become blurred over time, it could be a sign of an underlying condition, which could be diabetes amongst other possible causes.

Your doctor should be able to help distinguish why your vision may have worsened.

What Is A Diabetes Rash

Diabetes

Diabetes affects various parts of your body, including your skin. An estimated 1 in 3 people with diabetes will develop a skin rash or other skin problem at some point.

When you have diabetes, your chances of having dry, itchy skin are higher than someone who doesnt have the disease. Youre also more likely to get other diabetes-related skin conditions.

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Dry Mouth And Eyes When Waking Up

If you have dry eyes and dry mouth when you wake up in the morning, the culprit can be environmental. Check your sleeping area for drafts, fans, and other irritants that could be drying out your airways and eyes overnight. You may also wake up with dry eyes or mouth if you have allergies, take certain medications, or sleep with your mouth open.

This problem may also be caused by conditions like sleep apnea that often comes with mouth breathing, and lagophthalmos, a condition where you cant close your eyes completely while sleeping.

Modify Your Diet Before Calling Your Doctor

Bergamo says if youre having some of these subtle symptoms try a low-carb diet of protein and green leafy vegetables. Avoid sugary drinks and drink at least 2 liters of water for a few days to see if these symptoms get better.

Subtle symptoms could be just that youre eating too many carbs and your body cant handle it, Bergamo says. It doesnt necessarily mean you have diabetes, but its a wake-up call that maybe youre headed that way.

If you have any symptoms that are frightening such as sudden numbness, weakness or chest pains, call your doctor immediately.

Are you concerned about diabetes? Talk to your doctor about having your blood glucose levels tested. Need a doctor? Find one near you.

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Urinary Tract Infections And Yeast Infections

High sugar levels within the urine are a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast near the genitalia. Urinary tract infections come with a burning sensation during urination and cloudy, dark or off-smelling urine. Yeast infections come with itching, burning and discharge. People with diabetes are twice as likely to suffer from these types of infections.

Red Flag: Regularly occurring UTIs or yeast infections.

Slow Healing Wounds And Increased Skin Infections

High Blood Sugar Symptoms

Lingering sugar in the blood wreaks havoc on veins and arteries disrupting circulation. Without proper blood flow, it takes longer for cuts and bruises to heal, and you are more prone to skin infections.

Red Flag: Paper cuts, bumps and bruises take more than a few days to go away, cuts scab over repeatedly or wounds that last weeks to months.

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Hormones And Aging Changes

Hormones such as androgens, glucagon, and corticotrophin all affect tear production. Cells that secrete mucus to help build a healthy tear film do not have nerves connected to them. They rely on hormonal communication with the rest of the body. When hormonal changes occur in postmenopausal women, for example, these cells may not get turned on to secrete the right amount of mucus and a dry eye condition occurs.

This can also occur in women who use hormone replacement therapy and hormone-based birth control. Proteins that help make up the tear film are also known to decline as we get older. In addition, the volume of tears produced grows smaller. Furthermore, certain natural antibiotics and oxidative damage control proteins decline, creating an imbalance in the tear structure and dry eyes.

So What Foods Should I Avoid

You have been eating the wrong foods for almost your whole life. However it is NOT your fault. It is the government, factory farms, and large companies that are to blame. These are the people that told you Eat meat for strength, The other white meat, Drink milk for healthy bones, Got Milk? and Eat fortified bread and cereal for your vitamins.

Meat, dairy, and processed foods like cereal and bread are toxic to your body. Theyre clogging your arteries, raising your blood pressure, and pumping you full of cholesterol, toxins, hormones, and antibiotics that you dont need. According to the World Health Organization , a diet high in animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs, as well as high in sugar-laden and fat-laden processed foods such as breads, cereals, chips, cakes, and cookies, cause an increase in the acidity of your body, which causes bodywide inflammation. Diets that are heavy in these sources cause 80% of cardiovascular disease, more than 33% of all cancers, and virtually all obesity and type 2 diabetes in this country.

Heart disease, for example, is the number one killer of women in the United States and is linked to high amounts of saturated fat in animal products. But it doesnt just clog up your arteries around your heart . It clogs up ALL your arteries, leading to strokes, cancer, and tissue death due to lack of oxygen.

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Low Blood Sugar: Glucagon

In severe cases of low blood sugar, when the 15:15 approach is insufficient, people may need glucagon. Glucagon is a hormone that the pancreas produces to release stored glucose. A person can speak with their doctor to check whether they require prescription glucagon.

What Causes A Diabetes Rash

8 Warning Signs Of HIGH Blood Sugar Concentration In Your ...

For people who dont have diabetes, a skin rash may be the first sign of high blood sugar or prediabetes. Your healthcare provider can help you take steps to prevent diabetes.

If you take medications for diabetes, a skin rash may indicate that you need to adjust treatments to lower your blood sugar levels. Some other rashes result from reduced blood flow to your extremities .

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Type 2 Diabetes And Dizziness

People with diabetes may experience dizziness, either as a symptom of the condition or as a result of dehydration or certain medications. A doctor can help determine the cause and how to manage or treat it.

Diabetes can cause low or high blood sugar, which can make people feel dizzy or lightheaded. High blood sugar can also lead to dehydration, as the body removes excess glucose from the blood through the urine, taking extra water with it.

Certain medications, including those that lower blood sugar, can also cause dizziness.

In this article, we look at the possible causes of dizziness in type 2 diabetes, other symptoms to be aware of, treatment options, and when to see a doctor.

Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can occur in a person with diabetes. Low blood sugar levels, or low glucose levels, are those that fall below the healthy range.

According to the American Diabetes Association , low blood sugar levels are usually below 70 milligrams per deciliter , although this may be different for each individual.

Research suggests that of people with diabetes experience dizziness as a symptom of low blood sugar.

Other signs of low blood sugar can include:

A person can discuss medication changes with a doctor. They should not stop taking medications or change their dosages unless the doctor instructs them to do so.

Other Brain And Nerve Conditions

In very rare cases, eyelid spasms could be an indication of brain and nerve conditions like:

  • Bell palsy: The facial nerve is inflamed. This causes twitching in the facial muscles, dry eyes, and droopy eyelids, among other symptoms.14
  • Dystonia: This disorder causes involuntary contractions of muscles, which manifest in repetitive twitching, twisting movements.15Blepharospasm can be called an eye dystonia.
  • Parkinsons disease: People with blepharospasm have a risk of developing Parkinsonian symptoms.16Trickily enough, while the drugs used to treat Parkinsons may improve the condition in some patients, in others, they trigger the condition.
  • Tardive dyskinesia: Long use of tranquilizing drugs to treat mental conditions like psychosis can lead to involuntary muscle movements, especially in the lower half of the face.17The condition can be improved by taking the patient off the drugs.18
  • Tourette syndrome: In this nerve disorder, patients experience facial muscle twitching, blinking, and blepharospasm.19
  • Brain tumor: A twitching or flickering eye can be a symptom of a tumor in the cerebellum. But this wont be the only symptom. Headache, loss of balance, and vomiting are among the other common brain tumor symptoms.
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    The Connection Between Eye Health And Hormones

    Female hormones like estrogen and progesterone play an important role in many eye conditions. Experts are continuing to learn more about the connections between female hormones and the eye.

    With menopause, the female body makes less estrogen and progesterone. Lower levels of female hormones that come with menopause can be connected to glaucoma, cataract, and dry eye, along with other eye conditions like macular degeneration.

    A qualified eye doctor can examine your eyes and explain how your eyes are changing during menopause. Your eye doctor can then explain what can be done to improve your eyesight during and after menopause.

    Third Food To Avoid: Sugar

    Can diabetes affect my eyes?

    Sugar causes inflammation, makes you overweight, leads to diabetes, and is linked to cancer. How do you feel after consuming that sugary cookie, cake, or donut? I feel like garbage and Im sure you do too. Headaches, mood swings, depression, and more are symptoms of sugar intake.

    Dont worry though, nature makes its own sweets. I challenge you to throw away all the white, brown, and powdered sugar in your cabinet, along with all the foods that contain these harmful granules. After that do not eat anything with added sugar for a week. If you get a craving, reach for a nice bowl of ripe berries or frozen grapes, or better yet, make some banana ice cream.

    Refined sugar – along with dextrose, maltose, evaporated cane juice, high-fructose corn syrup, and agave – can take your body on a blood sugar roller coaster, which sends your pancreas into a insulin producing craze, which increases your risk significantly for diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is when your insulin production cannot keep up with the sugar load and your pancreas may stop working. This sugar roller coaster will also cause depression, mood swings, and craving for more sugar creating a never ending cycle.

    Artificial Sweeteners are chemical products made in a lab that have no long term studies on the effects on the human body. Avoid these at all costs. This includes NutraSweet, Equal, Sweet N Low, Splenda, and Stevia.

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    Can Diabetes Cause Other Eye Issues

    High blood sugar levels can affect your eyes and cause damage to your vision. Besides dry eye, diabetes can lead to several different other eye issues, such as:

    • Diabetic retinopathy.Diabetic retinopathy happens when high blood sugar damages the blood vessels in your retina. It can lead to vision loss and blindness.
    • Diabetic macular edema .DME causes blurry vision. It occurs when the blood vessels in a part of the retina known as the macula leak and cause swelling.
    • Cataracts. Cataracts are caused by proteins that clump together over the lens of your eye, resulting in blurry, cloudy vision.
    • Glaucoma. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve in your eye. It starts slowly, usually causing vision loss in your periphery vision. If left untreated, it can lead to blindness over time.

    Diabetes is a common cause of dry eye, but its not the only possible cause. There are several reasons your eyes might be dry.

    Other common causes of dry eye symptoms include:

    When To See A Doctor

    Dry mouth and eyes arent usually a serious problem on their own, but if they appear with other symptoms or continue despite symptom management, it might be time to see a doctor. They could be the result of isolated problems with your eyes or mouth, or the result of a more serious chronic condition.

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    What Are The Telltale Symptoms Of Dry Eyes

    Your eyes produce tears constantly throughout the day. Dry eye happens when your eyes do not have the tears they need to stay moisturized and healthy.

    Your eyes cannot function properly without healthy tear production. When your eyes do not produce enough tears, it can cause eye irritation and a variety of other eye symptoms, such as:

    • trouble wearing contact lenses
    • sensitivity to wind or sun

    Sometimes, dry eye can be a temporary condition that goes away on its own. This can be the case when dry eye syndrome is not caused by diabetes. For instance, your eyes may be dry because you spent time in a very dry or windy environment, or because you wore your contact lenses for too long.

    However, dry eyes caused by diabetes or another underlying health issue will need to be addressed by a medical professional.

    Its a good idea to see a healthcare professional if you experience dry eye symptoms that do not clear up after a couple of days.

    What Other Skin Conditions Affect People With Diabetes

    Diabetes Symptoms Red Eye

    People with diabetes can have any skin condition. But sometimes, people with diabetes have a rash or other skin irritation due to:

    • Allergic reactions: People with diabetes may have an allergic reaction to oral diabetes medications or injectable insulin. You may develop a rash or hives and swelling at the injection site or elsewhere on your body. Contact your healthcare provider if you think youre having an allergic reaction.
    • Bacterial infections: Having diabetes increases the risk of bacterial skin infections. You may develop bacterial infections in eyelid glands or deep under the skin . Infected skin may be swollen, hot, red and painful. Youll need antibiotics to get rid of the infection.
    • Dry, itchy skin: High blood sugar and certain skin conditions can cause dry, itchy skin. If you have poor blood circulation, your lower legs may itch the most. Moisturizers can help.
    • Fungal infections: A yeast called Candida albicans causes most fungal infections in people with diabetes. Youll have moist areas of tiny red blisters or scales that itch. Skin fungus tends to affect skin folds, including under the breast, between fingers and toes, around nailbeds, and in the armpits and groin. Common fungal infections include jock itch, athletes foot and ringworm. Antifungal medications can help.

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    Glaucoma Signs And Symptoms

    Glaucoma can have no obvious symptoms for many patients until its too late. For others, later stages of the disease can result in blurred vision, distorted vision, or varying degrees of vision loss.

    There are typically no early warning signs or symptoms of open-angle glaucoma, explains the GRF. It develops slowly and sometimes without noticeable sight loss for many years.Most people who have open-angle glaucoma feel fine and do not notice a change in their vision at first because the initial loss of vision is of side or peripheral vision, and the visual acuity or sharpness of vision is maintained until late in the disease.

    For the less common acute-angle glaucoma, symptoms according to the GRF include:

    • Hazy or blurred vision
    • The appearance of rainbow-colored circles around bright lights
    • Severe eye and head pain
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Sudden sight loss
    • Rho khinase inhibitors

    Many patients will need a combination of medications to manage their glaucoma.

    Glaucoma is a treatable eye disease until it isnt, explains Bevels. The best advice is to use your prescription drops for intraocular pressure control as directed by your eye care provider. There is nothing scary about eye drops, but they are an issue for older patients with dexterity issues, and sometimes surgery is the best option.

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