Diabetes and Your Eyes.
People who have diabetes mellitus cannot use or store sugar properly.
There are a number of complications that occur with diabetes, such as
poor circulation and infection. One of them is damage to the blood
vessels in your eyes. This damage can lead to a serious condition
known
as diabetic retinopathy, which damages the retina, the nerve layer
that
lines the inside of your eye and converts light into signals that can
be
interpreted by the brain.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
When blood vessels in the retina are damaged, they can leak fluid or
blood, which causes the retina to swell and form deposits known as
exudates. This is an early form of diabetic retinopathy, which is
called
nonproliferative or background retinopathy. Although you may not
notice
any change in your vision, it can lead to more serious forms of
retinopathy.
If fluid collects in the macula, which is the part of the retina that
allows you to see fine details, reading and other close work will
become
more difficult. This is known as macular edema.
Another type of retinopathy is proliferative retinopathy, in which
new,
fragile blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina and damage
vision. The new blood vessels can bleed into the vitreous, the clear,
jelly-like material that fills the eye. When the vitreous becomes
clouded with blood, your vision can become blurred or distorted.
Another
complication is retina detachment, which can be caused when the new
blood vessels cause scar tissue to develop and pull the retina away
from
the back of the eye.
What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?
There are usually few symptoms with diabetic retinopathy until the
disease is well advanced. That’s why it’s important to have your
vision
checked by your ophthalmologist. He or she can dilate the eyes to look
inside and check for signs of diabetic eye disease. It is also
important
to check with your regular physician to find out if you have diabetes,
which is more common as you age. If you have diabetes, be sure to tell
your ophthalmologist.
Some of symptoms you might have with diabetic retinopathy include the
following:
- gradual blurring of your vision
- difficulty doing close work, such as reading or sewing
- vision that becomes spotty or hazy
- sudden vision loss
Surgery for diabetic retinopathy.
How Is Diabetic Retinopathy Treated?
If diagnosed early enough, diabetic retinopathy can be treated to
prevent vision loss. One of the best ways to treat it is to control
your
diabetes. A program of intensive management and control of your blood
sugar will delay or even prevent the diabetic retinopathy from
developing.
To diagnose diabetic retinopathy, your ophthalmologist may take a
series
of special photos of your retina. The series is called a flourescein
angiography, which involved injecting yellow dye into your arm that
flows from the blood vessels into your retina.
One of the most common treatments is laser photocoagulation, which is
a
surgical procedure that beams a laser at the retina to seal off
leaking
blood vessels. Laser surgery can also be used to seal the retina to
the
back of the eye.
In cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy or retinal detachment,
vitrectomy may be recommended. In this procedure, the blood-filled
vitreous is removed and replaced with a clear solution.
Ways To Prevent Vision Loss from Diabetes.
If you have diabetes, it is especially important that to take care to
protect from eyesight from diabetic retinopathy. The longer you have
diabetes, the more chance you will develop the disease.
It’s vital that you work with your physician to manage your diabetes,
so
that complications such as diabetic retinopathy will not develop. Be
sure to:
- Keep your blood sugar under control.
- Maintain a healthy diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Have yearly dilated eye exams.
