A healthy lifestyle is important before and after being diagnosed with DR.
What lifestyle changes can help you reduce the risk of developing DR?
- Control your blood sugar
- Maintain optimal blood pressure
- Maintain optimal lipid levels
- Eat healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Quit smoking
- Minimize or avoid alcohol intake
- Have an eye examination early in pregnancy
- Get your eyes checked regularly
Following a diagnosis of DR, what emotional and behavioural responses would you expect to encounter?
A diagnosis of DR is likely to come with significant anxiety. Will I go blind? Will I be able to continue working or will I lose my job? How will driving restrictions affect my transport and other responsibilities?
One who is newly diagnosed with diabetes may be in a state of shock and concerned with the likelihood of an early death.
Reflect on a time when you had severe anxiety, such as when you noticed a worrying symptom, when you were running late for an important appointment or when you had to take an interview or an examination. Were you able to concentrate on your tasks? What (if anything) made you feel better? What coping skills did you employ? Did the situation lead you to change anything in your life?
One who is anxious may forget to take medication, exercise, eat healthy or have regular check-ups.
Interventions to support adopting healthy lifestyle must include education as well as behavioural and psychosocial support.
Your take
How can you support a person living with diabetes to adopt a healthy lifestyle?
© Nyawira Mwangi
Control of Diabetic Retinopathy 