📌 This post is a continuation of our story. You can read the previous part here: Eye Injections and Lasers for Retinal Edema: Can You Manage with Blood Sugar Control Alone?.
✍ When we faced diabetic macular edema with Mom, it was a real discovery for us that in its early stages, this disease can proceed completely without symptoms. We looked into the first warning signs, why regular glasses do not fix this condition, and how to perform a simple home vision check using the Amsler grid test.
The main possible symptoms of diabetic macular edema are related to the deterioration of central vision, as the swelling affects the most crucial central area of the retina — the macula.
Key Signs of Macular Edema
- Distortion of Straight Lines: This is the most characteristic symptom. Straight lines (window frames, door frames, table edges, rows of text in a book, or crossword grids) start looking bent, wavy, or broken.
- Blurriness in the Center: The image right in the center becomes hazy. At the same time, peripheral vision remains clear — a person can see side objects well, but struggles to make out what is directly in front of them.
- Difficulty Reading: Letters in text begin to merge, drop out of words, or appear in different sizes. Threading a needle or looking at small details becomes hard.
- Dark or Blind Spot: A semi-transparent gray or dark spot may appear in the center of the visual field, moving along with the gaze.
- Faded Colors: Colors lose their brightness, everything around looks dull or takes on a yellowish tint.
- Trouble Recognizing Faces: Thanks to peripheral vision, the silhouette of a person is clearly visible, but their facial features in the center get blurred.
The Asymptomatic Stage and the Role of Glasses
With Mom, the ophthalmologist detected the swelling using a special examination (OCT) when it was still tiny. In medicine, this is called subclinical edema. Mom did not feel any distortions or spots, and it is a great stroke of luck to identify the issue before it starts affecting vision quality.
It is important to understand that if the swelling grows, regular reading or distance glasses will not remove the distortions. Glasses focus light by changing ray refraction for the lens, but they cannot fix the retinal tissue itself, which has swollen due to high blood sugar.
That is why now, while Mom can see great, we have the ideal time for calm work: lowering blood sugar through a diet with legumes, fish, and vegetables, while preparing for planned procedures.
A Simple Home Check: The Amsler Grid Test 🏁📝
Since the clinic did not give us a special printed form, we monitor Mom's eye condition at home on our own. For this, we use the Amsler grid — a simple 10 by 10 centimeter square, divided into small grid cells (just like a regular grid notebook 📝), with a distinct black dot right in the center.
Such a grid can easily be drawn on paper or displayed on a tablet or phone screen.
How we perform the test correctly:
- Mom puts on her reading glasses, as she always uses them for near vision.
- Mom covers one eye with her hand (without pressing on it).
- With her open eye, she looks directly at the central black dot from a distance of about 30 to 40 centimeters.
- Without taking her eyes off the dot, Mom evaluates with her peripheral vision whether all grid lines are straight, all squares are equal, and there are no blurry spots.
- Then, the exact same check is repeated for the other eye.
We do this test just once a week. If all lines stay straight, the edema is stable. If any line suddenly gets wavy or bent, it is a sign that we need an unscheduled visit to the doctor.
Our Current Action Plan
We continue taking calm and systematic care of Mom's health:
- Building the Menu: For breakfast and lunch, we prepare dishes with chickpeas, lentils, or buckwheat, and for dinner — tender egg omelets, baked hake medallions, and stewed zucchini without sugar.
- Keeping a Log: We measure Mom's blood sugar in the morning on an empty stomach and two hours after meals.
- Consulting the Endocrinologist: With our measurement log and glycated hemoglobin indicator, we adjust medication dosages on schedule.
The most important thing is to act calmly, without panic, and with love! 👁️❤️✨
👉 Read the next part: Where to Get Cheaper or Free Eye Injections in Kyiv and How Long the Waiting List Is