DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
- Diabetes affects many organs of the body, especially the eyes.
- It causes early development and maturation of cataract.
- Diabetics are more prone to develop glaucoma.
- The most dreaded and vision threatening complication of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy.
- It refers to retinal changes caused by damage to blood vessels of the retina.
- New blood vessels get formed in the retina whose walls are thin and may leak spontaneously.
- It causes retinal haemorrhage leading to significant loss of vision.
FACTORS
- The duration of diabetes is the important factor in the development of this disease.
- About 50% of diabetics develop diabetic retinopathy after 10 years, and almost all diabetics after 20 years.
- Severity of this disease is not related to blood sugar levels.
- Family history also makes a person more prone to it.
- The risk of blindness is about 25 times greater in diabetics than non-diabetics.
SYMPTOMS
- Blurring of vision, frequent change of refractive glasses, difficulty in reading and driving, and distorted vision are common symptoms of diabetic retinopathy.
- Increased blood glucose level may sometimes cause oedema or swelling of the crystalline lens which leads to temporary myopia or near-sightedness, which blurs distant vision though the near vision remains intact.
DIAGNOSIS
- An eye specialist examines the retina with the ophthalmoscope to make a diagnosis.
- The other ways to diagnose this disease are fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
- Photographs of the fundus or retina are taken to reveal the stage of development of diabetic retinopathy through FFA.
TREATMENT
- Laser is very effective in treating diabetic retinopathy.
- With the help of laser, new vessels can be destroyed and leaking vessels sealed.
- Another option available is injecting the eyes with a special injection, which destroys new blood vessels which develop in diabetic retinopathy.
MANAGEMENT
- If diabetes can be controlled in the initial stages, it can delay the development of this disease.
- For this, it is vital to control blood sugar and blood pressure.
- A diabetic can safeguard himself from the complication of this disease by consuming a fat-free diet, avoiding smoking and alcohol, exercising regularly and taking brisk walks.