Diabetes has been an increasing threat to human health around the world in recent times. It has become the most serious condition to afflict people of all ages and can lead to stroke, heart disease, and lasting nerve, foot and eye problems.
In this blog, we will discuss how diabetes affects your retina and how you can treat it with the help of your ophthalmologist.
Diabetes affects your eyes over time and leads to blindness or vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of this.
When high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels in the retina, DR is the result. These damaged vessels can swell and leak, thereby, blurring vision. DR often affects both eyes and can develop in anyone who has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The longer a person has diabetes and the less they control their blood sugar levels, the more possible it is for them to develop DR.
If you are in the early stages of DR, you may not have any symptoms. As the condition progresses, you might develop:
● Dark strings or spots floating in your field of vision
● Blurred vision
● Fluctuating vision
● Empty or dark areas in your vision
● Vision loss
If you’re diabetic, you can reduce your risk of getting DR by doing the following:
● Eat healthy food and make physical activity a part of your daily routine to manage your diabetes.
● Monitor your blood sugar level—do it frequently if you’re under stress or ill.
● Ask your doctor about a glycosylated haemoglobin test.
● Keep your cholesterol and blood pressure under control by exercising daily and losing extra weight.
● If you smoke, quit immediately. Smoking increases the risk of DR.
● Contact your eye doctor if your vision suddenly changes or becomes hazy, blurry or spotty.
Treatment largely depends on the type of DR you have and how serious it is. Your doctor will choose the treatment that will stop or slow the progression.
If you have mild or moderate nonproliferative DR, you may not require treatment right away. However, your eye doctor will closely monitor your eyes to decide when you may require treatment.
Work with your endocrinologist to understand if there are ways to manage your diabetes better. When DR is moderate or mild, efficient blood sugar control usually slows the progression.
If you have macular oedema or proliferative DR, you need immediate treatment. Depending on the particular retinal issue, options may include:
● Direct medication. Medication in the form of intravitreal injections is injected directly into the vitreous of the eye. These are called vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors. They aid in stopping new blood vessel growth and reduce fluid buildup.
● Photocoagulation. Also known as a focal laser treatment, it slows or stops the leakage of fluid and blood into the eye. Leakage from abnormal blood vessels is treated with laser burns during the procedure.
● Panretinal photocoagulation. Also known as scatter laser treatment, it shrinks the abnormal blood vessels. The areas of the retina away from the macula are treated with scattered laser burns during the procedure. The burn causes these blood vessels to shrink and scar.
● Vitrectomy. This procedure uses a small incision in your eye to extract blood from the vitreous as well as scar tissue that’s pulling on the retina.
While these treatment options can stop or slow the progression of DR, it’s not a cure. Diabetes is a lifelong condition, so future retinal damage and vision loss are still possible. For the best diabetic retinopathy treatment in Patna, visit Laxmi Netralaya to book an appointment.