Why doctors ask diabetic patients if they have a eye and foot exam?

Answer 1

For starters, diabetics often have poor blood circulation which in turn causes numerous other problems. As a former nurses assistant I often witnessed residents with Diabetes loose feeling/sensation especially in their lower legs and feet. As I understand it, poor blood circulation puts you at risk for a number of blood borne illnesses. Illnesses that in some cases lead to kidney disease/ failure and or limb amputation due to toxins in your blood that can cause infections/diseases like gangrene

To the best of my knowledge Dr's monitor your feet in part to determine if your blood is circulating properly. Swelling, numbness, or loss of sensation in your feet could an early warning sign that your diabetes is progressing.

I also know that diabetes can lead to poor vision and in some cases blindness.

Answer 2

Foot care amongst diabetics is incredibly important. Even small ulcers on the foot can represent a serious risk: they may heal extremely slowly and need rigorous treatment to cure. Foot ulcers affect as many as 1 out of every 10 diabetes sufferers, during the entirety of their condition. Ulcers can develop into serious lower body infections.

Diabetics must pay particular attention to their foot health for a number of reasons:

• Diabetes can lead to a loss of sensation in the feet (distal polyneuropathy), meaning that damage is more likely to go unnoticed.
• There can be changes to the muscle power in the leg, leading to changes in foot shape and high pressure areas.
• The skin can become dry (anhidrotic) due to autonomic nerve neuropathy. Dry skin is more likely to crack and create a portal of entry for infection.
• Diabetics are more likely to develop problems with their blood supply to the feet (due to calcification of arteries in the periphery).

Answer 3

Diabetics have high blood pressure.

This mean that the tiny blood vessels ( capillaries) could become narrow with fat, become thicker or burst due to the pressure.

This would result in temporal blurriness and eventually blindness, until they are corrected by surgery. In some cases they cannot so it is important for diabetics to check their eyes regularly at an optician. I HOPE I HELPED! :-)