Diabetic Retinopathy
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What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

The retina is the light sensitive nerve layer at the back of the eye. High blood sugar can damage blood vessels in the retina, which may swell and leak. The damage to retina vessels leading to swelling and exudates in retina is referred to a Diabetic retinopathy.

Signs and Symptoms

In early stages of Diabetic retinopathy, you might have blurred vision. Most people do not notice any significant changes in vision or any discomfort in the initial stages. In later stages, you develop cloudy vision, floaters and flashes of light. Never assume that good vision means all is well in the retina. Macula is the part of retina which let us see clearly when lipids and fluid leak onto the macula, the vision gets blurred. This condition is called as Macular Edema. If new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina, they can bleed into the eye.

How to Prevent Vision Loss?
  • Early detection of Diabetic Retinopathy is the best protection against loss of vision.
  • Better control of blood sugar levels slows the progression of the disease and lowers the risk of vision loss.
  • If you have Diabetes make sure that you get a Dilated Retinal Examination at least once a year.
Can Diabetic Retinopathy Be Treated?

YES - With the right care and treatment...

The treatment can be laser which has been proven to reduce the risk of severe vision loss by about 60%. Laser is a procedure in which a strong beam is aimed onto the retina to shrink the abnormal blood vessels. Laser may also be used in cases of macular edema where the leaking of blood vessels is sealed by the laser beam.

However surgery can be used in advanced stages when Laser has no role.Sometimes intravitreal injections are also helpful in certain cases to prevent further damage

Key Points to Remember
  • If you have diabetes, or a family history of diabetes, you need to pay special attention to your EYES before it’s too late.
  • Failing vision could be the first sign of damage being caused to your virtual organs due to high sugar levels.
  • There are no signs and symptoms in the early stages of Diabetic Retinopathy.
    It starts with blurred vision, causing problems while reading or driving. Gradually if the blood vessels leak, it feels like black spots which may or may not go away.