Q:
What is it?
A: Diabetic
retinopathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus
which causes abnormalities in the blood vessels of
the retina. These damaged blood vessels may leak fluid
or blood, and fail to provide nutrients necessary for
good health in the retina. Left untreated, diabetic
retinopathy can result in severe visual loss, including
blindness. The risk of developing diabetic retinopathy
increases the longer a person is a diabetic.
About
80% of the people with at least a 15 year history of
diabetes have some blood vessel damage to their retina.
Diabetic retinopathy is particularly likely to occur
at a younger age in juvenile diabetics, who have been
diagnosed with the condition during their childhood or
teenage years.
Q:
Are there different types?
A: Background
Retinopathy is an early stage of diabetic retinopathy.
In this stage, fine blood vessels within the retina become
narrowed or obstructed while others enlarge. Sight is
usually not seriously affected. It can, however, lead
to more advanced sight-threatening stages.
Macular
Edema is caused by leaking fluids collecting in the macula.
Reading and close work may become more difficult because
of this condition.
Proliferation
Retinopathy describes the change that occurs when new,
abnormal blood vessels begin growing on the surface of
the retina or the optic nerve. These new blood vessels
have weaker walls and may rupture and bleed into the
vitreous. This leaking blood can cloud the vitreous and
partially block the light passing through the pupil towards
the retina, causing blurred and distorted vision. These
abnormal blood vessels may pull the retina away from
its normal position at the back of the eye causing a
detached retina. Abnormal blood vessels may also grow
around the pupil causing glaucoma.
Q:
Can children get it?
A: Yes.
Q:
Is aging a factor?
A: Yes.
Q:
What causes it?
A: The
cause of diabetic retinopathy is not completely understood.
However, it is known the diabetes damages small blood
vessels in various areas of the body. Pregnancy and high
blood pressure may aggravate diabetic retinopathy. |
Q:
What are the signs or symptoms?
A: Though
vision may gradually become blurred, significant loss
of sight does not usually occur with background retinopathy.
Since the patient does not experience pain or external
symptoms such as bloodshot eyes or discharge, changes
in the retina can go unnoticed unless detected by an
eye examination.
When
bleeding occurs in proliferative retinopathy, the patient
has clouding or complete loss of vision. Connective tissue
pulling on the retina causes distortion and blurring.
However, if abnormalities occur in the peripheral retina,
the patient may not experience any symptoms.
A
comprehensive eye examination and appropriate treatment
by an ophthalmologist is the best protection against
eye damage due to diabetic retinopathy. Serious retinopathy
can be present without symptoms, which can improve with
treatment. To detect diabetic retinopathy, a painless
examination of the inner eye is conducted using an ophthalmoscope.
If diabetic retinopathy is detected, a fluorescein angiography,
the taking of rapid photographs as dye passes through
the retinal blood vessels, is often used to determine
what or even if further treatment is necessary.
Q:
Can it be prevented?
A:
Unfortunately, no. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication
of a disease which can strike anyone. Even the most careful
diabetic has a 50-50 chance of developing retinopathy,
particularly if they have had the disease for 15 years
or more.
Q:
How is it treated?
A: Treatment
of diabetic retinopathy depends on the location of the
disease and the degree of damage to the retina. If retinopathy
occurs in the peripheral retina, careful monitoring of
the disease may be all that is necessary. When the macula
and central vision is affected, laser treatment is usually
necessary.
In
cases of background diabetic retinopathy, lasers may
be used to seal blood vessels that have leaked. Laser
treatment may not halt the disease entirely, but can
reduce further vision loss by delaying the onset of proliferative
retinopathy.
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