Diabetic retinopathy

What is diabetic retinopathy? Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs when diabetes affects the blood vessels and nerve tissue in the retina. There are two stages of diabetic retinopathy: • Nonproliferative retinopathy is the early stage of the disease in which blood vessels swell and leak. In some cases, this can cause macular edema (swelling of the retina) which may result in mild vision loss but can be treated. There can also be early changes to the nerve cells in the retina that may affect vision, in part due loss of adequate blood supply. • Proliferative retinopathy is the advanced stage where abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These vessels may break and bleed into the vitreous, the clear watery gel that fills the eye, and cause severe vision loss. This stage of diabetic retinopathy typically requires urgent treatment. While diabetic retinopathy often cannot be completely prevented, you can reduce your risk of having it develop or progress. Controlling your blood sugar slows the start of retinopathy and prevents it from getting worse. It also lessens the need for laser surgery or other procedures that treat severe retinopathy. What causes diabetic retinopathy? Diabetic retinopathy is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels in the retina may swell and leak fluid. In others, abnormal new blood ves...

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of Symptoms You might not have any signs of diabetic retinopathy until it becomes serious. When you do have symptoms, you might notice: • Loss of central vision, which is used when you read or drive • Not being able to see colors • • Holes or black spots in your • Causes If your blood glucose level ( As your condition gets worse, more blood vessels become blocked. Scar tissue builds up because of the new blood vessels your eye has grown. This extra pressure can cause your retina to tear or detach. This can also lead to eye conditions like Risks If you have any form of diabetes -- type 1, type 2, or gestational -- you may get diabetic retinopathy. Your chance goes up the longer you have diabetes. Almost half of Americans diagnosed with diabetes have some stage of diabetic retinopathy. And only about half of them know they have this disease. Other things that can raise your odds of diabetic retinopathy include: • • • • Being African American, Hispanic, or Native American Stages Diabetic retinopathy tends to go through these four stages: • Mild nonproliferative retinopathy. In the disease’s earliest stage, tiny blood vessels in your retina change. Small areas swell. These are called microaneurysms. Fluid can leak out of them and into your retina. • Moderate nonproliferative retinopathy. As your disease gets worse, blood vessels that should keep your retina healthy swell and change shape. They can’t deliver blood to your retina. Th...

The Two Stages of Diabetic Eye Disease There are two main stages of diabetic eye disease. This is the early stage of diabetic eye disease. Many people with diabetes have it. With NPDR, tiny blood vessels leak, making the retina swell. When the Also with NPDR, blood vessels in the retina can close off. This is called macular ischemia. When that happens, blood cannot reach the macula. Sometimes tiny particles called exudates can form in the retina. These can affect your vision too. If you have NPDR, your vision will be PDR is the more advanced stage of diabetic eye disease. It happens when the retina starts growing new blood vessels. This is called neovascularization. These fragile new vessels often bleed into the These new blood vessels can form scar tissue. Scar tissue can cause problems with the macula or lead to a PDR is very serious, and can steal both your central and peripheral (side) vision. Video: Vitreous Hemorrhage You can have diabetic retinopathy and not know it. This is because it often has no symptoms in its early stages. As diabetic retinopathy gets worse, you will notice symptoms such as: • seeing an increasing number of floaters, • having blurry vision, • having vision that changes sometimes from blurry to clear, • seeing • having • noticing colors appear faded or washed out • losing vision. Diabetic retinopathy symptoms usually affect both eyes. Your doctor may do Your treatment is based on what your ophthalmologist sees in your eyes. Treatment options may...

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that affects people living with diabetes. It develops when high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the This progressive disease may lead to irreversible vision loss, so it’s important to have regular eye exams. A doctor can then diagnose the condition early and slow its progression. Typically, the pancreas releases the hormone Consistent levels of high blood sugar can affect different parts of the body, including the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy doesn’t only weaken or damage the blood vessels in the eye. It can also cause the development of new abnormal blood vessels in the retina. Diabetic retinopathy is a progressive eye disease classified by two types and four stages. The two types are nonproliferative and proliferative. Nonproliferative refers to early stages of the disease, while proliferative is an advanced form of the disease. Stage 1: Mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy This is the earliest stage of diabetic retinopathy, characterized by tiny areas of swelling in the blood vessels of the retina. These areas of swelling are known as micro aneurysms. Small amounts of fluid can leak into the retina at the stage, triggering swelling of the macula. This is an area near the center of the retina. Stage 2: Moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy Increased swelling of tiny blood vessels starts to interfere with blood flow to the retina, preventing proper nourishment. This causes an accumulation of blood and other...

During the exam, your eye doctor will look for abnormalities in the inside and outside parts of your eyes. Fluorescein angiography After your eyes are dilated, a dye is injected into a vein in your arm. Then pictures are taken as the dye circulates through your eyes' blood vessels. The images can pinpoint blood vessels that are closed, broken or leaking. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) With this test, pictures provide cross-sectional images of the retina that show the thickness of the retina. This will help determine how much fluid, if any, has leaked into retinal tissue. Later, OCT exams can be used to monitor how treatment is working. Treatment Treatment, which depends largely on the type of diabetic retinopathy you have and how severe it is, is geared to slowing or stopping the progression. Early diabetic retinopathy If you have mild or moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, you might not need treatment right away. However, your eye doctor will closely monitor your eyes to determine when you might need treatment. Work with your diabetes doctor (endocrinologist) to determine if there are ways to improve your diabetes management. When diabetic retinopathy is mild or moderate, good blood sugar control can usually slow the progression. Advanced diabetic retinopathy If you have proliferative diabetic retinopathy or macular edema, you'll need prompt treatment. Depending on the specific problems with your retina, options might include: • Injecting medications into ...