We all live busy lives. Even in times of covid restrictions, there’s still food to be prepared, children to look after, friends and family to check in on, or work to be done. And whilst our reactions to everyday demands vary; whether we rely on routine or ‘wing it’ there are going to be times when there is just no more space for anything else.
But sometimes we have no choice; particularly when that extra task could be a lifesaver. That’s the challenge facing those with diabetes who, depending on the severity of their condition, may be required to test their blood sugar levels up to several times a day.
And that’s no bad thing. The better we understand the levels of glucose in our blood, the better we can manage our condition. When blood sugar levels are out of balance they can lead to multiple complications, some of which can be life threatening. And as the NHS website comments [1]
“Regularly having high blood sugar levels for long periods of time (over months or years) can result in permanent damage to parts of the body such as the eyes, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels.”
However, testing glucose levels can be invasive and painful. For the majority of people living with diabetes the default test involves pricking the finger with a lancet in order to obtain a drop of blood. This is not only potentially painful; it carries a risk of infection. It can also be difficult for young or elderly patients, or those with impaired vision or motor control. Nevertheless, testing and recording glucose levels are key to maintaining long term health. As Diabetes UK [2] says:
“It’s a way of getting to know your body and how it works. It can help you and your healthcare team spot patterns too.”
With that in mind shouldn’t we be looking to test on a more regular basis than we do today? Well we probably should; but time constraints and the nature of the finger prick test don’t make that easy. That’s one reason why Occuity is developing a non-invasive test that could potentially transform diabetes testing. Being able to monitor blood glucose levels simply by taking a snapshot of the eye could open up the way to quick, regular, testing. This in turn could help those with diabetes to not only better monitor their condition but also to build up an understanding of how the food we eat, exercise or other lifestyle factors impact blood sugar levels.
We all live busy lives. Finding a way to lessen the impact of diabetes on those lives through monitoring and understanding could help us to make the most of the time we have.
Find out more about our work to improve diabetes screening and join our diabetes community here
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-sugar-hyperglycaemia/
[2] https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/testing
Comments