If the lens clouds over, light cannot pass through, and the image becomes dim or blurry and colors become somewhat duller. This clouding of the lens is known as a cataract. Some other signs of a cataract include impaired distance vision, poorer vision in bright lights and conversely better vision toward the evening, sensitivity to glare and bright light, a frequent need for new eyeglasses prescriptions, seeing halos around lights, and monocular diplopia, or even double vision in one eye due to uneven increase in optical density of the lens with resultant bending of light rays.

People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing cataracts in their 30’s or 40’s. In the early stages patients may be able to cope in their daily activities. However when the cataract becomes more opaque, a surgical technique known as phacoemulsification is often offered. This is done under local anesthesia, and usually takes less than an hour. The cataract is removed through a very small incision and often an artificial lens is implanted.

What people refer to as Diabetes or Diabities is actually the short form of Diabetes Mellitus, a disease that occurs when there is an elevation of sugar blood level (commonly referred to as blood glucose level). Glucose is a form of energy that the body needs for it to function normally.

The common sources of glucose in humans is through food
1. Starchy foods (carbohydrates) such as rice, bread, and noodles
2. Actual glucose whether in simple glucose form or complex forms (such as fruit sugars, milk sugars, honey,) which are broken down into simple sugars in the body.

Once glucose is absorbed in through the intestines, it is distributed throughout the whole body. At the cellular level, a hormone called insulin is responsible for the entry of glucose into the cells for usage.  It is at this level where we see certain situations whereby there is a resistance to the effect of insulin (insulin resistance) giving rise to an increased sugar blood level.  Another diabetes cause is where there is inadequate or no production of insulin by the cells responsible for this, known as the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.

Treatment of diabities in principle is quite simple

1. Start off on a diet for diabetes – with emphasis on healthy living and calorie control. Control of diabetes and diet are closely related.  Diabetic treatment with drugs but without dietary control is not ideal.

2. Diabetic Drugs. Two major varieties are often described - One type to stimulate the release of insulin from the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, the other type to promote the movement of sugar into the cells.

3. Insulin therapy.

4. Management of complications of diabities (both prevention of these complications and treatment of complications of diabetes if and when they occur), for example, heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, nerve complications, skin problems, etc.  More about this in another article.

Diabities Complications - Early detection and management is essential.