If you have diabetes, you not only have to worry about regulating your blood sugar levels so that they don’t plummet or skyrocket, but you also need to monitor them for other parts of your body; including your vision. If your blood sugar levels get too high, they can cause nerve damage in the eye and form a disease called diabetic retinopathy. Luckily, here at Wilkinson Eye Center, we can conduct a surgery called laser photocoagulation to help prevent it from the issue getting worse. By sealing off damaged blood cells and preventing them from leaking, photocoagulation doesn’t restore vision, but it can treat diabetic retinopathy. Just like with any surgery, it’s important that you know how to recover properly. This article will list a few ways for you to ensure that you have a smooth and speedy recovery. Read on to learn more.
Avoid Driving
Immediately following your photocoagulation surgery, your vision may be a bit blurry. To ensure that you don’t get into a car accident because of your blurred vision, we encourage all of our patients to avoid driving and to find a ride home. If you are having difficulty finding a ride home after surgery, contact our office beforehand, and we can try to order you a car service.
Avoid Smoking
If you are a chronic smoker, we will encourage you to quit smoking before surgery and to continue to avoid any cigarettes until after you have fully recovered. Smoking cigarettes can reduce your body’s ability to fight off infection and heal properly— both of which can results in larger complications further down the line.
Control Blood Sugar
As a diabetic, your number one job is to monitor your blood sugar levels at all times. To make sure that your diabetic retinopathy doesn’t get worse, make sure that you are managing your insulin levels at all times.
If you would have diabetic retinopathy and would like to learn more about surgical treatments, contact Wilkinson Eye Center today to schedule an appointment!
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