Diabetic Retinopathy
- Mission Sight
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Diabetic Retinopathy is an eye disease caused by type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as gestational diabetes. Having too much sugar in your blood can block blood vessels, including the blood vessels that nourish the retina. This cuts off the blood supply to your eye, causing blurred vision, dark spots, empty areas of vision, and, if left untreated, vision loss and blindness. There are two types of diabetic retinopathy: early diabetic retinopathy (nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy) and advanced diabetic retinopathy (proliferative diabetic retinopathy). Early diabetic retinopathy is more common and presents as blood and fluid leaking into the retina because the walls of the blood vessels are blocked. In this case, the severity of symptoms will depend on how many blood vessels are blocked and can lead to permanent vision loss if fluid builds up in the center of the retina. Advanced diabetic retinopathy refers to the creation of new blood vessels when the old ones are blocked off. These new blood vessels are fragile and, therefore, can also leak into the center of your eye. The scar tissue created by the formation of new blood vessels can cause the retina to detach from the back of the eye, and it can create pressure, damaging your optic nerve and causing glaucoma. This scar tissue can cause permanent vision loss. (1)
The best way to prevent the development of diabetic retinopathy is to manage your diabetes with daily activity and monitoring blood sugar. Another risk factor is tobacco use. The longer you have diabetes, the more likely it is that you develop these complications, so it is important to be aware of any changes in your vision and check in with an eye doctor if you start to notice any symptoms. Even if you do not notice any changes, if you have diabetes, you should see an eye doctor yearly to make sure your vision is okay. If you have gestational diabetes, the risk of diabetic retinopathy is higher, so it is also important that you see an eye doctor regularly. (1) Diabetic retinopathy can be treated using intravitreal injections, medication injected into the eye, which will stop the growth of new blood vessels. Laser therapy and eye surgery are also options to treat this disease. Laser therapy can stop blood and fluid from leaking into the eye. If the diabetic retinopathy advances too far, the only option is surgery to remove scar tissue and blood in the eye. (2) Treatment can halt the progression of the disease, but unfortunately will not reverse any damage that has already been done, so early action is important if your vision starts to change. (3)
Written by: Hazel Cameron
Comments