What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication from diabetes that affects the eyes. This disease occurs when high blood sugar levels cause damage to the blood vessels of the retina. Damage to the retina can then cause vision problems and even blindness1. This can develop in anyone that has been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. People are more likely to develop this eye disease the longer they have had diabetes because their blood sugar is less controlled over time2.
There are two stages of this disease, Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR). NPDR is the early and more common stage of the disease where the blood vessels in the eyes leak, causing the retina and the macula to swell. This is where one’s vision starts to blur1. PDR is the second and most advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy. In this stage, those with the disease often develop neovascularization, which is when the retina grows new blood vessels. When the blood vessels bleed into the vitreous they can cause one to develop floaters, which can block vision. This can also cause scar tissue to form, affecting the macula and/or causing a detached retina. The PDR stage of this disease is very serious because it can block all vision (both central and peripheral)1.
What are the Signs/Symptoms?
Oftentimes people are unaware that they have diabetic retinopathy. This is because there are commonly no symptoms or warning signs in the beginning stages of the disease. However, as it progresses there are a handful of warning signs to look out for:
- Floaters in vision
- Blurry vision
- Visual changes, blurry to clear
- Dark or blank areas in vision
- Poor night vision
- Faded colors
- Vision loss2
What are the Risk Factors?
As mentioned earlier, anyone who has been diagnosed with either type of diabetes is at risk of developing this condition. Some other risk factors include:
- Uncontrolled blood sugar levels
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Tobacco use
- Pregnancy2
How do you Treat this Condition?
Your ophthalmologist must provide you with a treatment plan. Here are some of the treatment options a physician may suggest:
- Maintain healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels: This can help reduce swelling, so it is important to stick to your diet and take your blood pressure medication as prescribed.
- Medication: Some medications are prescribed via injection to reduce the swelling of the macula, which will help improve vision.
- Laser surgery: This may be suggested to seal off the leaking blood vessels to reduce the swelling, and in some cases may require more than one surgery.
- Vitrectomy: A procedure recommended for those with PDR to remove vitreous gel and blood from the leaking blood vessels, they may also need to remove scar tissue1
Can this be Prevented?
To prevent this disease, you must stay on top of your eye health. Be sure to keep track of any vision changes; if your vision becomes blurry, hazy, or spotty, it is time to get your eyes checked. Make sure you get regular eye exams and maintain healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Since smokers are at a greater risk, look for resources to help quit smoking2.
Keep in mind that just because you may be diagnosed with diabetes, it does not mean you will develop diabetic retinopathy. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with routine eye exams will help those with diabetes prevent potential complications.
Sources:
1: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-diabetic-retinopathy
2: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-retinopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20371611
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-diabetic-retinopathy