Diabetic Eye Disease

Approximately 2 million Americans age 20 or older have diabetes –

but almost one-third don’t know they have the disease and are at risk for vision loss and other health problems. Early symptoms are often unnoticed; therefore, vision may not be affected until the disease is severe and less easily treated.

What Is Diabetic Eye Disease?

 

Diabetic eye disease, a group of eye problems that affect those with diabetes, includes diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma.

The most common of these is Diabetic Retinopathy, which affects 5.3 million Americans aged 18 and older. Diabetes can also affect your vision by causing cataracts and glaucoma. If you have diabetes, you may get cataracts at a younger age, and the chances of developing glaucoma are almost doubled.

Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, a complete dilated eye examination should be scheduled with your BVA eye doctor at least once a year. Make an appointment promptly if you experience blurred vision and/or floaters that: affect only one eye, last more than a few days, or are not associated with a change in blood sugar.

Diabetic eye disease

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding condition in which the blood vessels inside the retina become damaged from the high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes. This leads to fluids leaking into the retina and obstructing blood flow. Both may cause severe vision loss.

There are two major types of retinopathy:

 

Non-proliferative

Proliferative

 

NON-PROLIFERATIVE RETINOPATHY

The most common form of retinopathy, in which capillaries in the back of the eye balloon and form pouches. Non-Proliferative retinopathy can move through three stages (mild, moderate, & severe) as more and more blood vessels become blocked.

PROLIFERATIVE RETINOPATHY

In this form, the blood vessels are so damaged they close off, and new blood vessels start growing in the retina. These new vessels are weak and can leak blood, blocking vision, which is a condition called vitreous hemorrhage. The new blood vessels can also cause scar tissue to grow. After the scar tissue shrinks, it can distort the retina or pull it out of place; a condition called retinal detachment.

Your retina can be badly damaged before you notice any change in vision – for this reason, you should have your eyes examined regularly by an eye care professional.

Treatment with BVA

Prevention is the best solution to fighting diabetic eye disease. It is always important to schedule an annual eye exam because only optometrists and ophthalmologists can detect the signs of retinopathy and determine if a treatment, such as diabetic eye surgery OKC, is necessary.

Medically, huge strides have been made in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy to help in reducing the risk of vision loss through Laser Therapy. Instead of a diabetic eye surgery OKC that would involve direct surgical procedures on your eyes, this treatment involves alternate procedures to help prevent vision loss. Laser therapy uses bright, focused laser light to treat certain parts of your retina, and injections of drugs will help reduce swelling of the macula.