What is diabetic retinopathy and why is a major concern?

What is diabetic retinopathy and why is a major concern?

Diabetic retinopathy is a serious sight-threatening complication of diabetes. Diabetes interferes with the body’s ability to use and store sugar (glucose). The disease is characterized by too much sugar in the blood, which can cause damage throughout the body, including the eyes.

What causes retinopathy in diabetes?

What causes diabetic retinopathy? Diabetic retinopathy is caused by high blood sugar due to diabetes. Over time, having too much sugar in your blood can damage your retina — the part of your eye that detects light and sends signals to your brain through a nerve in the back of your eye (optic nerve).

When does diabetic retinopathy occur?

Typically, diabetic patients will develop diabetic retinopathy after they have had diabetes for between 3-5 years. In the early stages, diabetic retinopathy will not affect sight, but if it progresses, eventually sight will be affected.

What are the two types of diabetic retinopathy?

Now, getting to the types of diabetic retinopathy; it is classified into two major types, i.e. ‘Non Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR)’ or ‘Early Diabetic Retinopathy’ and ‘Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)’ or ‘Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy’.

Is it possible to reverse diabetic retinopathy?

Can diabetic retinopathy be reversed? No, but it doesn’t have to lead to blindness, either. If you catch it early enough, you can prevent it from taking your vision. That’s why it’s vital to have regular visits with an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist who’s familiar with diabetes and retina treatment.

What are symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?

Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy

• gradually worsening vision.
• sudden vision loss.
• shapes floating in your field of vision (floaters)
• blurred or patchy vision.
• eye pain or redness.
• difficulty seeing in the dark.

What can diabetic retinopathy see?

The abnormal blood vessels associated with diabetic retinopathy stimulate the growth of scar tissue, which can pull the retina away from the back of the eye. This can cause spots floating in your vision, flashes of light or severe vision loss.

Does metformin improve eyesight?

Metformin produces its beneficial eye effects by activating a protective enzyme known as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, or AMPK, the researchers found. To establish their findings, the researchers tested metformin in three different mouse models of retinal degeneration.

Can glasses help diabetic retinopathy?

A set of snap-together glasses will help doctors demonstrate the effects of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that can result from uncontrolled diabetes and lead to blindness.

What are some of the main causes of diabetic retinopathy?

High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and obesity can all promote diabetic retinopathy and should be treated. Smoking is also a culprit: Consult with your doctor about methods for quitting. Never ignore the symptoms of infection, which can worsen diabetic retinopathy.

What are the signs and symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?

Blurring or haziness of vision

Spots or lines in field of vision – Floaters

Diminished vision,which may vary from mild decrease in reading vision (macular edema) to total loss of vision due to bleeding (vitreous haemorrhage).

What you should know about diabetic retinopathy?

Floaters,which appear as small gray spots floating around in your field of vision

Pain or pressure in the eye

Blurry vision that steadily worsens in a part or all of one eye

Complete vision loss that happens gradually or suddenly.

What do you need to know about diabetic retinopathy?

Diagnosis. Diabetic retinopathy is best diagnosed with a comprehensive dilated eye exam.

Treatment. Treatment,which depends largely on the type of diabetic retinopathy you have and how severe it is,is geared to slowing or stopping progression of the condition.

Alternative medicine.

Coping and support.

Preparing for your appointment.