Diabetic Retinopathy
Description
Diabetic retinopathy is a serious complication of diabetes that affects the eye of diabetic patients. The condition can affect anyone who has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Both eyes are frequently impacted by diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is more likely to occur in people who have diabetes for a longer period of time. Initially, diabetic retinopathy may not manifest any symptoms or may only result in minor vision issues. But it might result in blindness. You can harm your blood vessels if your blood pressure and blood glucose (sugar) levels are continuously high. There are numerous significant blood veins in your eyes that assist in supplying blood to the retina, the area of the eye responsible for seeing. These blood vessels may get clogged or leak if they are injured. As a result, the retina is unable to function correctly because it is not receiving enough blood. You will not be able to see clearly as a result.
Symptoms
Contact your general practitioner or ophthalmologist if you have one of the following symptoms:
- Vision worsening
- Sudden loss of vision
- Blurred vision
- Eye pain and redness
- Difficulty seeing at night or in the dark
- You may see dark floating spots
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View MoreCauses
Diabetes-related elevated blood sugar results in diabetic retinopathy. The portion of your retina that detects light and transmits messages to your brain via a nerve in the back of your eye (optic nerve) might become damaged over time if there is too much sugar in your blood.
All over the body, blood arteries are harmed by diabetes. When sugar obstructs the tiny blood arteries leading to your retina, it damages your eyes by causing them to hemorrhage or leak fluid. Your eyes then develop new, poorly functioning blood vessels to make up for these blocked blood vessels. These new blood vessels frequently bleed or leak.
Risk factors:
Any diabetic patient may develop diabetic retinopathy but the risk of getting this condition increases because of:
- Having diabetes for a long time
- Uncontrolled blood glucose level
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Pregnancy
- Family history
Diagnostics
As part of a dilated eye examination, your ophthalmologist can examine for diabetic retinopathy. The examination is quick and painless; after giving you eye drops to widen your pupil, your doctor will check your eyes for diabetic retinopathy and other eye issues.
Treatment
Depending on the severity of the condition, there are many treatments for diabetic retinopathy. The main treatment options for diabetic retinopathy are:
- Laser treatment: using laser surgery to stop blood vessels from leaking or to prevent other blood vessels from leakage.
- Injection of medications into the eyes: the injected medicines will help decrease the inflammation and stop new vessel formation. (Example: ranibizumab and aflibercept)
- Eye surgery: to remove blood or scar tissue from the eyes.
If you are a diabetic patient, you can minimize the risk of diabetic retinopathy by:
- Controlling your blood sugar and keeping its level within a range
- Controlling your blood pressure, and cholesterol levels
- Taking your diabetes medication as prescribed
- Attending all your screening appointments
- Getting medical advice quickly if you notice any changes to your vision
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Eating healthy food and exercising regularly
- Avoiding smoking
- It is crucial to undergo a thorough dilated eye exam at least once a year if you have diabetes. Although diabetic retinopathy may not initially present with any symptoms, detecting it early might help you take precautions to preserve your vision.
