Get Everything Know about Diabetic Retinopathy

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetes mellitus is a type of eye disorder when our body doesn’t use and store sugar properly. In this eye condition, high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the retina occur. The retina is the innermost, light-sensitive layer of the tissue that senses light and sends these signals to the brain for visual recognition. This damage to the retinal vessels is known as diabetic retinopathy.

Which Patients Are At Risk Of Developing Diabetic Retinopathy?

All patients with diabetes always have a potential risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. People living their lives with diabetes and it’s uncontrolled always have a higher risk of getting suffer from diabetic eye disease. The presence of hypertension, nephropathy, high cholesterol levels, and anemia add to the risk. All diabetic patients have the potential to develop diabetic retinopathy.

Can it Cause Blindness?

Diabetic retinopathy can cause severe vision loss as there is bleeding within the eye or a retinal detachment. Moderate vision loss can occur as a result of edema (swelling) of the retina.

Can It Be Detected Early?

A comprehensive eye examination performed by a retina specialist can be helping determine how much and how serious the disease is.

Can Diabetic Retinopathy be Prevented?

Diabetes retinopathy can be slowed down if systemic parameters such as blood glucose levels, blood pressure, lipid profile. You should be under the supervision of a doctor for blood sugar management.

What are the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?

• Patients may remain free of symptoms in the early phases of the disease.
• Blurred vision.
• Sudden loss of vision in one eye.
• Black spots moving in front of the eye.
• Distorted central vision.
• Abnormal patterns in the field of vision.

Do All Patients Present with these Symptoms?

Many people with severe, vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy have no symptoms! Regular eye exams are crucial to obtaining treatment before it is too late.

What All Tests Available to Diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy?

• Dilated retinal examination.
• Digital Fluorescein Angiography (FFA or DFA).
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).
• Ophthalmic ultrasound.

What is fluorescein angiography?

In this technology, magnified photography of the retina wherein a special dye (Fluorescein) gets injected into the arm. It takes only 8 to 12 seconds to reach the retina when dye gets injected into the arm. As the dye passes through the blood vessels in the retina, the pictures are taken. Fluorescein angiography test allows the doctor to identify any leaking blood vessels and recommend treatment. It helps to analyze the condition and to record changes in the retinal blood vessels.

What is Optical Coherence tomography?

Optical Coherence Tomography is a powerful, non-invasive diagnostic imaging technology that provides high-resolution, cross-sectional images of the retina. This technology gives the exact amount of retinal thickness, the fluid collection; the layers involved; any traction on the retina, etc. that great significance in the treatment plan. OCT helps in planning treatment with laser, intravitreal injections, or microsurgery.

How is Ophthalmic Ultrasound useful in patients with diabetic retinopathy?

If the patient has a cataract, a lot of hemorrhages, and visibility of the retina is poor then an ultrasound of the eye is very useful in planning surgery for diabetic patients.

How is Ophthalmic Ultrasound useful in patients with diabetic retinopathy?

If the patient has a cataract, a lot of hemorrhages, retina visibility is poor; then an ultrasound of the eye useful in the planning of surgery for diabetic patients.

What treatments are available?

Laser is the most widely used treatment modality for diabetic retinopathy. It can stop or slow the leakage of blood and fluid in the eye in case of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Here the laser acts by regressing the new blood vessels. Researchers have found that laser in these cases reduces the risk of severe vision loss by 50%. Laser is also used in eyes which have swelling in the center that is macula area. It has to be properly timed. However, it generally cannot restore lost vision because of damage to the retina.

Intraocular injections of steroids and anti VEGFs (Avastin, Lucentis)-Latest treatment-help in reducing swelling of the retina especially cases that are not treatable with laser treatment.

Microsurgery (vitreoretinal surgeries). Advanced cases of unresolved vitreal haemorrhage (bleeding in the eye) and retinal detachments require microsurgery. Highly advanced technology, wide-angle viewing system, sophisticated instrumentation, and qualified retinal surgeon can make all the difference to achieve visual results in a large number of advanced cases also.

I am diabetic, but it is now under control. Do I also need an eye examination?

Yes, you need to schedule an eye exam as every diabetic is a potential candidate for diabetic retinopathy. The biggest thing of worry is that there are no symptoms at the initial stages. Periodic eye examination with dilated pupils is the only way to detect the disease at an early stage and prevent further deterioration of vision.

Important facts to remember:

• The risk of eye problems among diabetic people is twice as likely as non-diabetics. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common eye complication and other complications are cataract and glaucoma.

• There is approximately fifty percent of diabetics can have some degree of diabetic eye disease.

• In the case of diabetes the risk of blindness is 25 times higher than in non-diabetics.

• Early detection and timely treatment of diabetic eye disease is the only way to reduce the risk of vision loss.

• If we talk about diabetic retinopathy at its early stages then there are often no symptoms. It is only an ophthalmologist who can detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy. Therefore it is the recommendation for all diabetics that they should go for their eyes examined at least once every year.