Diabetes, What to Know Head to Toe
Eyes: Diabetes can lead to vision loss or even blindness.
To take good care of your eyes:
Keep your blood sugar close to your goal.
Bring high blood pressure down.
Get a dilated eye exam by an eye doctor every year. Your eye doctor will use drops to enlarge your pupils to look inside your eyes.
See your eye doctor if:
Your vision is blurry.
You see double.
You see spots or floaters.
One or both eyes hurt.
You feel pressure in your eye.
You can't see things at the sides like you used to.
You have trouble reading.
Feet: Diabetes can harm the blood vessels and nerves in your feet.
To keep your feet healthy:
Keep your blood sugar close to your goal.
Take off your shoes and socks and have your feet checked at least once a year--more often if you have any foot problems.
Wash your feet every day. Dry them, even between toes.
Check daily for cuts, blisters, redness, and swelling. If you cannot see the bottom of your feet, use a mirror or ask someone for help. If you find anything, contact your health care provider--no matter how small the problem.
Never walk barefoot.
Wear shoes that fit well. If you have lost feeling in your feet, ask your health care provider for advice on proper shoes.
Break in new shoes slowly.
Wear clean padded socks that fit well. Make sure the sock seams are in the right place.
Cut your nails straight across and file the edges.
Shake out your shoes before putting them on. A small pebble can lead to problems.
Don't smoke.
Heart: People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop high blood pressure than people without diabetes.
To have a healthy heart:
Lose weight, if you are overweight. Talk to your health care provider.
Become more physically active.
Have your blood pressure checked at each health care provider visit.
Ask your health care provider what your blood pressure goal should be. A blood pressure level under 130/85 mm Hg is the goal for most people with diabetes.
Don't smoke.
Source: FDA