Diabetic Retinopathy Specialist

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Uncontrolled high blood sugar levels take their toll on blood vessels throughout your body. Even when under control, the longer you have diabetes, the more likely problems are to develop. When the blood vessels in the retina become damaged, your eyesight is at risk, and the problem could lead to blindness.

In the early stages of the condition, there are few symptoms, if any. As damage from diabetic retinopathy gets worse, symptoms can include:

• Dark areas in your vision, including vision loss
• Fluctuating vision, eyeglass prescriptions
• Blurry focus
• An increase in eye floaters
• Impaired color perception

If you have diabetes, you may already know that annual vision exams are important, even if you have no obvious symptoms. Diabetic retinopathy can’t be cured, but management can help limit further damage.

What complications can diabetic retinopathy create?

Leading to abnormal growth and regeneration of blood vessels in the retina, diabetic retinopathy can have some serious effects on your vision.

Vitreous hemorrhage occurs when new blood vessels aren’t fully formed and these bleed into the jelly-like fluid that fills the eye, called the vitreous. Minor cases may produce a few dark floaters in your eyes, and it’s possible for this condition to reverse. Serious cases can, however, completely block your vision as blood fills the cavity normally holding the vitreous.

Glaucoma usually occurs when pressure inside the eye increases. This may be aggravated as the abnormal blood vessels associated with diabetic retinopathy block the normal drainage channels of the eye. When pressure develops to the point where the optic nerve is affected, glaucoma begins to take its toll on your eyesight.

A detached retina may result if diabetic retinopathy causes scar tissue that pulls the retina away from the back surface of the eye. This may cause floating spots, bright flashes, or extreme vision loss.

How is diabetic retinopathy treated?

Controlling diabetes is the first step in treatment, to slow the progress of its complications. There are several surgical treatments once diabetic retinopathy reaches advanced stages. Laser treatments, for example, can slow, stop, or shrink abnormal blood vessels. A procedure called a vitrectomy can remove blood from the vitreous along with retinal scar tissue.

While treating diabetic retinopathy can slow or stop its progression, these treatments aren’t cures, and further problems could arise later, which is why it’s important to check in with the team at Bainbridge Eye Care.

To learn more about diabetic eye care and explore screening options, schedule a consultation at Bainbridge Eye Care today. You can book a visit online, or call to speak with a member of the administrative staff.