People who have a sweet tooth and a penchant for milk tea may have to exercise some restraint for the sake of their health, after a 25-year-old woman from Taipei suffered a retinal hemorrhage, also known as “ocular stroke,” after her long-term consumption of the high-sugar beverage resulted in her developing diabetes.
Taipei-based Chung Shan Hospital ophthalmologist Hsieh Chia-lin (解佳霖), who treated the patient, surnamed Huang (黃), said that the woman came in for outpatient service after she suffered significantly reduced vision and mild swelling of her left eyelid.
After a preliminary examination of Huang’s eyes indicated the possibility of diabetes, Hsieh inquired about her lifestyle and discovered that she had been consuming at least two glasses of milk tea a day for a long time.
Photo: Lin Hsiang-mei, Taipei Times
“We then consulted the hospital’s division of endocrinology and metabolism and came to the conclusion that the patient has contracted diabetes and hyperlipidemia, which have led to her retinal bleeding,” Hsieh said.
Diabetics who fail to control their blood sugar levels may see their retinal veins becoming thinner and less resilient, which could slow down their blood flow and cause blockages in the veins, Hsieh said.
“If the condition is left untreated, they become particularly susceptible to blurred vision and retinal hemorrhages,” Hsieh added.
Urging people who exhibit such symptoms to seek medical help, Hsieh said that although Huang’s vision would not return to normal even after treatment, “at least she did not lose her eyesight completely.”
Hsieh also cautioned against overconsumption of sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages.
Hsieh said such overconsumption is common among young people, who wrongly assume that their age will preclude them from developing diabetes, despite their unhealthy eating habits.
“With the Lunar New Year holidays around the corner, snacks such as sticky rice cakes, candies and cookies may tempt people with diabetes,” Hsieh said.
“However, they should nevertheless manage their blood sugar levels and pay close heed to any abnormal physical changes,” Hsieh added.
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
BE CAREFUL: The virus rarely causes severe illness or death, but newborns, older people and those with medical conditions are at risk of more severe illness As more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in China’s Guangdong Province this year, including 2,892 new cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is monitoring the situation and considering raising the travel notice level, which might be announced today. The CDC issued a level 1 travel notice, or “watch,” for Guangdong Province on July 22, citing an outbreak in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in the south of the province, that was reported early last month. Between July 27 and Saturday, the province reported 2,892 new cases of chikungunya, reaching a total of 7,716
STAY VIGILANT: People should reduce the risk of chronic liver inflammation by avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and eating pickled foods, the physician said A doctor last week urged people to look for five key warning signs of acute liver failure after popular producer-turned-entertainer Shen Yu-lin (沈玉琳) was reportedly admitted to an intensive care unit for fulminant hepatitis. Fulminant hepatitis is the rapid and massive death of liver cells, impairing the organ’s detoxification, metabolic, protein synthesis and bile production functions, which if left untreated has a mortality rate as high as 80 percent, according to the Web site of Advancing Clinical Treatment of Liver Disease, an international organization focused on liver disease prevention and treatment. People with hepatitis B or C are at higher risk of
RSS