Women have more diabetes, says research

The prevalence of diabetes among women has decreased by 18.1% over the last year. It reached 8.1% of Brazilians against 9.9% in 2016. It nevertheless remains higher than the rate of 7.1% of the male population. This is what research shows VIGITEL 2017 (Surveillance of risk factors and protection against chronic diseases by phone) that has just been published by the Ministry of Health.

According to ophthalmologist Leôncio Queiroz Neto of the Instituto Penido Burnier, diabetes is characterized by the buildup of glucose in the blood that predisposes to serious eye diseases, hypertension, hypertension, and blood pressure. Kidney failure and heart disease.

The specialist explains that when this increase in blood sugar is related to the fall or the lack of insulin production type 1 which accounts for 10% of cases. In type 2, the body's resistance to insulin results in lower glucose penetration into the cells, he says. For him, the result of the investigation may be related to the decrease in soft drink consumption in the country, but it is far from rebaduring.

Other risks listed by the doctor are: cases in the family, hypercholesterolemia, stress and sedentary lifestyle

Cataract

The ophthalmologist says that in the beginning diabetes does not show any symptoms. This can go unnoticed. The evolution of the disease causes the lens to retain more water, leads to greater formation of free radicals and doubles the risk of developing cataracts. Therefore, diabetes can anticipate the onset of this disease that usually occurs from the age of 60 and makes opaque our lens, the internal lens of the eye.

The absence of symptoms makes many people discover diabetes in a cataract diagnosis. "In these cases, the earlier the surgery is done, the greater the safety of eye health is great," he says. Indeed, replacing the lens with a completely transparent non degenerative intraocular lens allows the specialist to see the bottom of the eye where significant changes may occur and require early diagnosis to avoid permanent vision loss.

Gestational Diabetes

The expert points out that according to the CBO (Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology), 7% of Brazilians also develop gestational diabetes. The disease, he explains. is the result of increased production of HPL (placental lactate hormone) during pregnancy that inhibits insulin production and increases blood glucose levels.

The condition is temporary, but predisposes to early cataract, vitreous hemorrhage characterized by abrupt blockage of vision, neovascular glaucoma in which the neovascular forms in the iris (colored part of the eye) and diabetic retinopathy, formation of retinal neovas.

The ophthalmologist claims that neovascular glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy are eye diseases that can occur in diabetic women outside of the gestation period and result in vision loss. Therefore, the first symptom recommends consulting an ophthalmologist for laser application, which in most cases prevents definitive blindness.

Prevention

Queiroz Neto states that the main recommendation to avoid complications in vision should include Vitamin E – A powerful antioxidant that prevents the early formation of nutrients in the body. body and in the body. cataracts and macular degeneration – Carrot, squash, papaya and guava to be rich in vitamin A nutrient essential for eye health. The first sign of vitamin A deficiency, according to Queiroz Neto, is night blindness and dry eyes that cause blurred vision. Deficiency can also cause retinal damage with permanent impairment of vision and recurrent conjunctivitis due to decreased immunity. To improve absorption, it is advisable to include sources of zinc such as: seafood, meat, eggs, tofu and wheat germ