Diabetic Retinopathy
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
A serious eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness in people who have diabetes. It affects the blood vessels in the back of your eye—called the retina.
two types of Diabetic Retinopathy:
Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR): in the early stage of diabetic retinopathy the blood vessels in the retina become weakened and may leak fluid. This can cause swelling or distorted vision.
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR): this is the advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy where the damaged blood vessels in the retina trigger the growth of new abnormal blood vessels, which can bleed into the eye and cause scar tissue to form. This can lead to severe vision problems and even a retinal detachment.
Risk Factors
duration of diabetes
poor blood sugar control
high blood pressure
genetic problems
*People with diabetes are encouraged to get annual eye exams to detect diabetic retinopathy.
Symptoms
blurred or fluctuating vision
floaters
visual disturbances
impaired color vision
dark or empty areas in your vision
vision loss (in advanced stages)
Treatments Include
Lifestyle changes (managing blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol through diet, exercise and medication can help slow the progression)
Intravitreal injections: medications are injected into the eye to reduce the swelling and abnormal blood vessel growth.
Laser therapy can be used to seal leaking blood vessels and reduce the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the retina.
Referral to a Retina Specialist: Dr. Bhasin can manage your diabetic retinopathy, but if there is a need for more testing we will refer you out.
Early detection is key when it comes to diabetic retinopathy. If you have diabetes, you should follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations for eye exams, which is typically annually. To make an appointment with us call/text our office at 678-590-1238!