What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is the damage to the retina that occurs with long-term diabetes. Therefore, for diabetic patients, they must have their eyes checked by an eye specialist at least once a year.

Diabetic Retinopathy Causes

High blood glucose levels in diabetic patient will cause the blood vessels in the retina to  leak, thus, leading to distorted vision.

Healthy Retina Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy Signs & Symptoms

A patient with diabetic retinopathy may not experience any symptoms in the early stages.

Symptoms that could indicate the disease has progressed to a more advanced stage which includes:

  • Spots or dark strings floating in your vision (floaters)
  • Blurred or patchy vision.
  • Impaired colour vision.
  • Dark or empty areas in your vision.
  • Vision loss.

Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment

The type of treatment depends on the severity of retinopathy. Controlled diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol levels are extremely important as part of the management.

  • Intravitreal injection to block a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which can stimulate abnormal blood vessels to grow and leak fluid
  • Laser treatment to seal leakages from blood vessels or to halt formation of new blood vessels
  • Surgical procedure to remove and replace the gel-like fluid in the back of the eye, called the vitreous.

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