Helping You Understand Diabetic Retinopathy
Posted on: 21 October 2020
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye ailment that affects people with diabetes. It mostly affects the retina, which is the area of your eye where images are formed. If the retina is compromised in any way, it means that images won't be formed, leading to blindness. Here's what you should know about diabetic retinopathy:
Increase in Blood Glucose/Sugar Levels
If your blood glucose level increases, blood vessels can get blocked. Blood is responsible for transporting important nutrients to organs, meaning if this does not happen due to blood vessel blockage, some of your organs might start failing, leading to death.
Your eyes have tiny blood vessels; if these vessels get blocked, nutrients will not reach all the parts of your eye. There might also be an increase in pressure. These outcomes lead to the following eye conditions:
- Glaucoma - If nutrients cannot reach different parts of your eye, cells start dying. You are diagnosed with a condition known as glaucoma, which when caught late, cannot be controlled or cured.
- Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) - If the increase in pressure, stated above, continues, the blood vessels in your eye can tear or burst, leading to leaking or bleeding. The condition is known as DME.
- Retinal Detachment - Sometimes, the conditions mentioned above can heal naturally, leaving scars. These scars can be bad for your eye, especially when they start pulling your retina out of position. Remember, the retina is where images are formed; if it is not in the correct position, you won't be able to see anything, hence experience blindness.
The Symptoms You Might Experience
The unfortunate thing about the eye conditions mentioned above is that symptoms start presenting themselves when the condition is at a serious stage. That is why people who have diabetes are instructed to visit their doctors regularly for general health monitoring.
That said, look out for symptoms like blurry or cloudy vision, blindness, difficulty reading or seeing at night or during the day, eye sensitivity, spotty vision, etc. Do not assume such symptoms even if they clear on their own.
Treatment
If caught early, some of the conditions mentioned above can be surgically treated or controlled to prevent further damage. Glaucoma, as indicated above, has no cure. That is why it is best to catch and control it early to slow down or prevent further damage. On the other hand, DME and retinal detachment can be treated through surgery.
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