Diabetic Retinopathy
Overview
Diabetes refers to a group of diseases that affect the body’s ability to control blood sugar levels. In addition to affecting the heart and kidneys, high blood sugar can affect the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs when diabetes causes damage to the retina and its blood vessels. There are three primary ways in which diabetic eye damage can occur:
1. The retinal blood vessels may become leaky causing fluid build up in the retina (macular edema).
2. The retina may become nonperfused and ischemic, causing vision loss (retinal ischemia).
3. New blood vessels may form, either on the retina or on the iris (neovascularization). The new vessels can bleed, filling the eye with blood (vitreous hemorrhage).
In the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, tiny capillary blood vessels twist and tiny blood spots form. This condition is referred to as "nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy." This damage has the potential to worsen and become "proliferative diabetic retinopathy," which has to be treated to prevent blindness. It is recommended that diabetics have a dilated retinal exam at least yearly.
Diagnostic Testing
A dilated eye exam is the most effective method of diagnosing diabetic retinopathy. In order to have a closer look at retinal tissue, the doctor uses dilating drops to cause the pupils to open wide during the exam. We may get an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan or fluorescein angiography as part of your eye assessment in order to determine the extent of damage and to help with treatment planning.
Treatment
The effects of diabetes on the eye can be quantified by our retina specialist and treated with a variety of procedures available in our office, including panretinal laser photocoagulation (PRP) and intravitreal injections of pharmacologic agents. Therapy for diabetic retinopathy and macular edema is effective in preventing further vision loss, but does not always make your vision better. It is important for people with diabetic retinopathy to work with their primary care physicians to control their blood sugar to prevent further damage.
Learn more about Diabetic Retinopathy from the
American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS)