Beware of Blindness: High Cholesterol Concerns in Diabetic Patients
If you have diabetes, a condition in which the body and the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, you may be at risk for vision problems, about which your doctor has probably warned you already. Recently, it has been discovered that if you also have high cholesterol, you are much more likely to be visually effected due to your diabetes. This condition, called macular edema can be very debilitating, and so if you have both diabetes and high cholesterol, you should watch your diet very closely to avoid losing your sense of sight.
Macular edema may occur in either one or both eyes, causing vision loss or blindness because water accumulates in the macula of the eye. High glucose levels in the bloodstream, which happens when your body does not produce insulin, puts you at a greater risk for developing macular edema, and the surgery to relieve this condition, if it is even possible, is dangerous and difficult. Studies that have been done recently have shown that diabetics who also suffer from high cholesterol are much more likely to develop macular edema.
It is important to note that there is both good and bad kinds of cholesterol. Good cholesterol is needed in the body, and is called HDL. Bad cholesterol, called LDL, produces excess lipoproteins in the blood stream, which build up on blood vessel walls. This is the most common cause of heart attacks and is also sometimes responsible for strokes, so anyone seeking a healthy lifestyle should be watching cholesterol intake. Because diabetic patients are two to four times more likely to develop macular edema if they also have high levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood stream, they need to be extra careful about their diets. Foods such as eggs, fish, and milk contain lots of bad cholesterol. Foods high in trans fats are also culprits for LDL cholesterol. Although we do need some LDL cholesterol in our body for things such as cell membrane production, our livers produce most, if not all, of what we need.
By avoiding foods high and cholesterol, diabetic patients can help keep their vision safe by preventing macular edema. However, low cholesterol diets are important for everyone to stay fit and healthy. Check your cholesterol levels by using a home testing kit or, more accurately, by seeing your doctor. By staying healthy, you can prevent not only macular edema, but also other serious health problems.
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