| Diabetic Retinopathy |
| Definition: |
Diabetic mellitus, is the inability of the body to use and store sugar properly, resulting in high blood sugar levels. This results in changes in veins, arteries and capillaries throughout the body.
Diabetic retinopathy is caused by damage to blood vessels of the retina. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye. It changes light and images that enter the eye into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. Damage to the blood vessels of retina results in irreversible loss of vision. Fluctuation in sugar level has a great impact in affecting the blood vessels of the eye. |
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| Diabetic patients are also at the risk of developing, |
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Cataracts (clouding of the natural clear lens in the eye) |
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Glaucoma ( a disease of the optic nerve) |
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Diabetic Retinopathy( damage occurs to the fragile blood vessels inside the retina) |
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Retinal detachment( separation of retina from the outer layer of the eye) |
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Macular edema(the macula is the area of the retina that provides sharp vision straight in front of you. If fluid leaks into this area, your vision becomes more blurry |
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| Symptoms: |
Most often, diabetic retinopathy has no symptoms until the damage to your eyes is severe.
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include: |
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Blurred vision and gradual vision loss |
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Floaters |
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Shadows or missing areas of vision |
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Difficulty seeing at nighttime |
| Many people with early diabetic retinopathy have no symptoms before major bleeding occurs in the eye. This is why everyone with diabetes should have regular eye exams. |
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Strict control of blood sugar, |
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Treatment usually does not reverse damage that has already occurred, but it can help keep the disease from getting worse. Once your eye doctor notices new blood vessels growing in your retina (neovascularization) or you develop macular edema, treatment is usually needed. |
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Close follow ups is needed for people with non proliferative diabetic retinopathy |
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Proliferative diabetic retinopathy requires laser treatment wherein abnormal blood vessels are sealed using laser. This process is called photocoagulation. |
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Avoid smoking and alcohol intake. |
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